Tesco Ireland has announced the expansion of its rapid delivery service, Whoosh, bringing 45-minute grocery delivery to even more customers across Dublin, Galway, and Cork. This move signals a significant step forward in the evolution of quick commerce in the Irish grocery market.

Originally launched in Dublin, Whoosh is now live in Galway and this week launched in Cork. Customers within a 4.5km radius of participating Tesco Express stores can order from a curated range of over 3,000 products – everything from fresh fruit and vegetables to Tesco’s Finest range and alcohol.

The Need for Speed

The latest shopper insights from Tesco highlight why rapid delivery matters. While online shopping remains important for main weekly shops, Whoosh is meeting a very different shopper mission with three main types :

🧻  Need right now: Emergency purchase of the things that you need to restock straight away – Toilet roll, milk, and bread top the list.

🥩  Meal for tonight :  Answering all kids first question when they get home after school “what’s for dinner?” is one of the dreaded question for  most parents.   Quick commerce unlocks a world of opportunities – Finest ribeye steak and chicken fillets are particularly popular for spontaneous dinners.

🍳  Weekend stocking up: Almost 40% of orders are placed Friday to Sunday, with Sunday afternoons proving the busiest.

What does this mean for Retailers & Brands

This presents a bigger opportunity than many have realised. The quick commerce shopper missions is closer to a convenience shop than main weekly online shop so will require different pack sizes, price points and promotional strategies. The role of brands in categories like meal-for-tonight, health & hygiene, and snacking will only grow as this channel matures.

Tesco’s investment in Whoosh is a clear signal that quick commerce is here to stay in Ireland. While adoption may start in urban areas, shopper expectations around speed, convenience and flexibility will continue to shape the future of grocery ecommerce nationwide.

For retailers and suppliers alike, the challenge is no longer if to play in quick commerce, but how to do so profitably and in a way that enhances the broader omnichannel experience.

✅ At Beacon Channel Insights, we help retailers and suppliers navigate exactly these shifts – from adapting assortment strategies for new channels to building the right ecommerce capabilities to win in quick commerce.

Read my 5 top tips for winning in quick commerce here – https://www.mayinsight.co.uk/post/5-ways-to-win-with-qcommerce