In 2002, some people were ready to write off internet grocery shopping. “Digital lunacy” was one comment in the US press. “Doomed to be e-commerce disappointments” was another judgment on online supermarkets. The long list of failed US online grocers – Webvan, Streamline, HomeRuns, Kozmo – seemed to bear this out.

Online supermarket shopping has never been a disappointment to me. I signed up over a decade ago when my Tesco supermarket in London handed out leaflets explaining how you could order food, toothpaste and dishwasher powder from your computer at home.