1. Bulk up your basics. Never underestimate the power of a bag of potatoes or a multipack of toilet roll. These heavyweights add pounds to your total without adding brainpower to your list.
2. Embrace the “top-up” mentality. If you’re at £38, don’t add a random luxury item. Add something you’ll genuinely use: a tube of toothpaste, a loaf of bread for the freezer, or a bottle of dishwasher liquid. These are invisible heroes.
3. Know your peak hours. Delivery slots during weekday evenings and weekend afternoons often have a higher minimum—sometimes £50 or £75. A standard midday Tuesday slot? That’s usually the golden £40 zone.
4. Use the ‘Ocado Saver’ slot. These are the cheapest delivery times, often with a lower minimum, and they’re perfect for the “I just need the basics” week. Combine it with a loyalty voucher, and you’re practically being paid to get your groceries.
The Delicious Psychology of ‘Free’
There’s a reason we love the phrase free delivery. It triggers a primal sense of victory. It’s the same reason you’ll walk an extra ten blocks for a free sample. The £40 minimum is simply the password to that VIP lounge.
In fact, studies show that people who hit a delivery threshold spend more than they would have otherwise. It’s the ‘stock-up effect’. You convince yourself that buying a second bottle of ketchup is “saving” you from a future delivery fee. And honestly? It kind of is.
Ocado voucher - code for £20 off and FREE delivery | Express.co.uk
Nostalgia alert: remember when Ocado first launched, and the minimum was only £25? That feels like a lifetime ago. Now, in 2026, it’s a more grown-up number—like going from a student loan to a proper salary. The budget just got a promotion.
