Tesco has announced it is extending its same day online grocery delivery service across the entire UK, making it the first retailer to offer nationwide same day grocery delivery.

Tesco launched same day grocery delivery in London and the South East in 2014 and is now extending the service to over 300 stores across the UK, covering over 99% of UK households. This is the biggest reach of any retailer in the UK, stretching from the Shetland Islands in Scotland to Cornwall in south-west England.

Customers can order by 1pm to have their shopping delivered from 7pm onwards and receive an unlimited number of items. The new service is priced between £3 and £8 but is free for a limited period to members of Tesco’s online delivery membership scheme, Delivery Saver.

Same day deliveries are proving increasingly popular with Tesco seeing an 18% growth in demand for the service so far this year.

Earlier this year Tesco also extended its Same Day Click+Collect service to 300 locations across the UK and today’s announcement means it is the only retailer to offer both Same Day grocery delivery and Click+Collect nationwide.

Adrian Letts, managing director of Tesco Online said: “Customers tell us they like getting their shopping delivered quickly and conveniently, and with our same day delivery service they can now order by lunch to get their shopping delivered for their evening meal.

“We’ve seen the service grow in popularity since we launched it in London and the South East so we’re really excited to be rolling it out to customers nationwide.”