Shufersal Raises Delivery Fees by 20% Following Rivals Amid Rising Costs

Shufersal has increased its online delivery fees by 20%, raising the charge from 29.90 to 35.90 shekels, following similar hikes by Rami Levy and Victory supermarkets. This change was announced on Saturday evening and is part of a broader trend among Israeli supermarket chains, including Mahsanei HaShuk and Hatzi Hinam, which are also planning to raise delivery fees. The main reasons cited for the price increases are rising costs from delivery contractors and a shortage of delivery drivers, with companies awaiting government approval to bring in drivers from India. Retailers report that they are currently losing money on deliveries.

To ease the impact of the fee hike, Shufersal introduced a new online-only coupon format offering 50% discounts on high-demand products. Victory and Mahsanei HaShuk continue to offer free delivery on Sundays and occasionally run promotions for free or discounted shipping. However, Shufersal's coupons come with restrictions: only two uses per coupon, must be applied before payment, valid for deliveries Sunday through Tuesday (typically slower delivery days), and only for orders over 399 shekels from the supermarket category, excluding delivery fees and coupon values. The promotion runs from July 4 to 7.

Examples of discounted items include a six-pack of Coca-Cola Zero for 11.45 shekels (regularly 24.90), a four-pack of StarKist tuna for 12.95 shekels (normally 25.90), Huggies wipes at 11.45 shekels (instead of 22.90), Fitness crackers for 6.65 shekels (down from 13.30), and 750 ml of Mateo extra virgin olive oil for 19.95 shekels (regularly 39.90).

Shufersal stated that the delivery fee update reflects significant increases in operational and shipping costs, but the company continues to subsidize these fees out of commitment to its customers.