You must sign-up to be a Tesco Delivery Saver subscriber by 24 November to be able to do this. For all other customers. Home delivery slots for 20 December open to customers on 30 November. Home delivery slots for 21 December open to customers on 1 November. Home delivery slots for 22 December open to customers on 2 December. The Delivery Saver pass hives customers free delivery on groceries (with a minimum spend) and priority access to prime time slots. MORE: Supermarket opening hours during lockdown revealed: Tesco.

Updated Mar 16th 2020, 10:55 PM

• There are currently no available Tesco's home delivery slots for nearly another month. At the time of writing, there is no general delivery available until May 29.
• The supermarket giant said it has grown its delivery and collection capacity to around 780,000 slots this week, up from 660,000 slots two weeks ago, with plans to increase this by another 100,000.

SUPERMARKET CHAINS LIDL and Tesco will be implementing priority shopping hours for elderly people, over 65s and family carers.

From tomorrow, priority shopping will be in place across Lidl’s 163 stores in Ireland between 9am an 11am every day until further notice.

In a statement this afternoon, the retailer said: “We ask that the public respect this time period to allow more vulnerable customers to pick up the food and supplies they need.

“Starting March 17, the mornings will run from 9-11am every day and will include prioritised queuing and additional assistance for our older customers.”

We’ve been listening to your feedback and we will be implementing priority shopping hours for the elderly across all 163 Lidl stores in Ireland, 9-11am every day, until further notice.

— Lidl Ireland (@lidl_ireland) March 16, 2020 Source: Lidl Ireland/Twitter

Lidl added that it “may not be able to actively monitor this at all times as our store teams are required on checkouts and restocking shelves, so we kindly ask that customers respect this measure and plan their shopping trips around this timeframe.”

Tesco, meanwhile, announced that every Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 18 March, people over 65 and home carers will have dedicated access to its 151 stores in Ireland from between 7am/8am (depending on location) until 9am.

“We recognise that people over 65 and family carers who are looking after vulnerable family members at home, have specific needs during this time,” Kari Daniels, Chief Execuive Tesco Ireland said today.

“In liaison with the HSE and following discussions with Age Action Ireland and Family Carers Ireland, together we agreed that this is the right thing to do, at this time.”

In a statement this evening trade union Mandate raised concerns that some retailers are failing to adhere to HSE guidlines regarding Covid-19.

Mandate Assistant General Secretary Gerry Light said dozens of members had raised concerns for their safety and the potential to spread the virus.

He said that while some outlets may be attempting to abide by HSE guidelines, there was an “uneven” approach across the industry.

The union has written to all major retail outlets citing concerns about customer overcrowding “…contrary to HSE Covid-19 guidelines”, which preclude indoor mass gatherings of more than 100 people.

He also raises issues around alleged non-compliance on social distancing, non-provision of hand sanitiser at checkouts as well as shopping trolleys and tills not being properly and regularly sanitised.

Earlier today

As the country works to curb the spread of coronavirus, a number of initiatives have been announced by the government and businesses nationwide.

Earlier today, the government announced it was establishing a Pandemic Unemployment Payment to help people who have lost work because of the coronavirus outbreak.

The payment of €203 per week will be available, for a six-week period, to all employees and the self-employed who have been affected by the seizing up of economic activity.

Yesterday, Health Minister Simon Harris advised that all pubs should close until at least 29 March. Publican groups have said their members should follow the advice.

The Cabinet sub-committee on Covid-19 is meeting this afternoon with an update from the Department of Health on the latest coronavirus figures in Ireland expected later today.

© Publicity Picture

There’s no doubt that getting a shopping delivery slot has been harder than usual since the UK went into lockdown eight weeks ago.

In an attempt to take some of the stress away, Martin Lewis’ MoneySavingExpert.com has compiled a list of top tips.

The list shows how far ahead each supermarket releases its slots and how you might get your hands on one, reports BirminghamLive.

The supermarket with the longest lead time appears to be Tesco with a massive 21 days, which assumes you know what you’ll want to eat three weeks in advance.

Waitrose and Morrisons release their slots just three days ahead.

So you might know what you want to eat but will you then have enough time to get your order in before all of the slots are quickly taken?

Here’s how the supermarket giants are operating according to Moneysavingexpert.

Three days ahead

Waitrose - used to be in partnership with Ocado but not any more.

So it might well be looking to expand times in due course.

For slots, it said it is 'advising customers to check each morning'.

Shoppers surveyed said they had success from 6am to 8am as well as randomly during the day.

Morrisons - shoppers top tip was to try just after midnight

Five days ahead

Co-op - told Martin Lewis that 'slots are launched every day, at around midnight'.

Seven days ahead

Iceland - the company said times were specific to stores, so Martin Lewis's 'Forumites' reported different results in tandem.

Sainsbury's - told Martin Lewis that 'when the slots are released will vary - there isn't a specific time and it doesn't depend on the store'.

One follower reported success every Monday.

Ocado - the online supermarket was a former partner with Waitrose but recently jumped into bed with M&S and is due start selling its products, as well as its own, from September.

It said there wasn't a fixed time when they were released, but priority customers were emailed about availability.

Once they've had a chance to book, non-priority customers are notified - via a message on the home page - and are then able to book any remaining slots.

14 days ahead

What Time Do Tesco Priority Christmas Slots Open

Asda - revealed that slots update as and when they become available in each area. Popular times to get a slot were typically 10pm or midnight, though some followers said between 2am and 4am.

What Time Do Tesco Priority Slots Opening

21 days ahead

Tesco - Martin Lewis was told 'slots tend to be released at midnight for three weeks ahead' but that it's busy adding extra vans to create more slots.

Top tips include logging on ten minutes early and then trying to book after midnight.