Sainsbury to use Deliveroo at its Kinnaird Village store despite concerns

Members of Falkirk Council’s licensing board heard that using the third-party drivers and riders was more efficient for smaller stores, where deliveries are often just a few items at a time.

Solicitor Niall Hassard said that Sainsbury’s had looked at various options but Deliveroo’s service uses a phone app which reminds both customer and driver of the need for proof of age.

Previous applications, made by other retailers, had flagged up to the board that Deliveroo’s policy is that couriers are not required to return alcohol to the store if it could not be delivered for any reason.

They are required to “dispose of it responsibly” and councillors were worried that could mean the driver either pouring it away to get rid of it – or “in theory they could keep it for their own personal use”.

Convener Niall Coleman and Councillor John Patrick once again expressed their concern about this, although they were assured it is standard practice and in reality is unlikely to happen.

Mr Hassard said: “This is something my clients had to discuss at length and get reassurances about to satisfy themselves.”

In the end, they were persuaded that the company’s procedures were robust enough as Mr Hassard assured them that Sainsbury’s took full responsibility for any deliveries that would be made.

Convener Niall Coleman said that he did not find it wholly satisfactory and said “perhaps the legislation isn’t quite at pace with what’s happening on the ground”,

“It’s also important to note that we as a board shouldn’t be making our policy conditions more onerous that the legislation.

“It’s a difficult area and not one we’re going to resolve with this application, but I am satisfied that this application doesn’t generate any insurmountable causes for concern.”

The supermarket had applied for several changes to both Denny and Kinnaird stores, although it emphasised it was simply standardising procedures throughout its Scottish stores.

Sainsbury’s Denny store was also given permission to do home deliveries by staff drivers, but the board were told that there were no imminent plans for this.

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