By CKPG Today

TYH: Benefits and Drawbacks of Online Grocery Shopping

Dec 19, 2017 | 6:53 PM

There’s a new way to grocery shop in Prince George, and you don’t even have to leave the comfort of your own vehicle. Catherine Hansen has more on the health benefits and drawbacks of online grocery shopping.

(Announcer:)
And now, “To Your Health”. Brought to you by Hart Drugs, Third Avenue Pharmacy and the Phoenix Pharmacy.

(Catherine Hansen – Reporter:)
With a click of a computer mouse, grocery shopping just became a little bit easier.  Superstore began offering online shopping this fall, and now Save-On-Foods has come on board.

(Mike Jakubski – Save-On-Foods:)
“It’s no different than if you went into the store yourself and picked your orders. You go online and everything that we carry in the store is available online, and you basically just do your shopping list as if you were in the store online. And our shoppers pick it for you, and we store it at the store until you’re ready to pick it up.”

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(Hansen:)
While a personal shopper picks your items, you can save time and possibly money, avoiding impulse buys and keeping a close tally on what you are spending while using the website or app.

(Brian Gandy – Save-On-Foods:)
“If you’re just going to do a small $40 dollar order, then it could take you a few minutes. You could also do your whole weekly shop, which could take an hour depending on how long you cruise the sections and the flyer. As well, you can do the order over a week if you want.”

(Hansen:)
And online shopping can make you think about what you are adding to your cart.

(Laurel Burton – Dietician:)
“When I think of avoiding impulse buys, I think of that more in terms of a money saving technique. So one thing that’s great with online shopping is that you’re able to see the total at the bottom of the screen as you pick things. So that can maybe help as well with avoiding impulse buys because you know exactly how much you’re spending as you go through and select your choices, but there’s not that impulse potentially at the end of the grocery aisle.”

(Hansen:)
There are a few downsides to online shopping from a health perspective. Often grocery shopping can be a social thing, and not hitting the store aisles doesn’t offer as much human connection. In-store shopping is also a way to move your body, and teach children about how to connect with food.

(Burton:)
“You can sort of sift through things like fresh produce on your own and you can determine the quality within the produce, which is something, online shopping they’re choosing it for you. And I think that something else that’s really great about in-store shopping if you are taking kids or other family members, is it can help with that life-skills piece as well.”

(Hansen:)
All agree – when it comes to shopping, options are good. And more options will be soon available, as Save-On plans to expand it’s services to deliver groceries to homes in the spring. To your health, Catherine Hansen, CKPG News.