The return of the home delivery service for groceries — once popular across the country — will be suggested today by an official watchdog as a means of helping consumers to adopt greener shopping habits.

Consumer Focus, formerly known as the National Consumer Council, uses a new report to chastise supermarkets for failing to encourage shoppers to leave their cars at home.

One option put forward by the watchdog is for retailers to offer a service that allows shoppers to buy goods and then leave their trolleys in chiller rooms to be packed for delivery later in the day.

Lucy Yates, a researcher for the study, Green to the Core?, said: “Home delivery for those who shop in store would be very popular. The internet does not work for everyone.” She also recommended more bus routes to out-of-town shops and better provision of bicycle racks.

Supermarkets were also urged to offer discounts instead of buy-one- get-one-free promotions; to reduce food waste; to promote more “low- pesticide” fresh fruit and vegetables; to use more recyclable packaging for own-brand items; and to promote seasonal food.

Nine supermarkets were assessed for environmental performance during visits to stores in Manchester in July — when home-grown produce is at peak supply. The watchdog was disappointed that only Waitrose scored more than 90 per cent British in a sample of key produce. It is the first time the watchdog has awarded an overall “A” score — which went to Marks & Spencer and Sainsbury’s. Waitrose scored a B, Tesco, Morrisons and the Co-op a C, and Asda, Aldi and Lidl were awarded a D.

The results angered supermarket bosses. Asda has attacked on its website the “inaccurate and misleading” findings. Tesco issued a statement, describing the report as “poor, inconsistent and misleading” and said that it was “unworthy of a statutory, taxpayer-funded body”.

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