SANTA’S IN STEALTH MODE: DELIVEROO LAUNCHES INCOGNITO DELIVERY SERVICE FOR LAST-MINUTE GIFT-GIVERS

• Deliveroo has launched ‘Secret Like Santa’*, a first-of-its-kind stealthy delivery service offering beautifully wrapped Christmas gifts, delivered [with no delivery fee] to forgetful customers in [as little as] under 30 minutes.
• It comes as Deliveroo research* reveals over half (55%) have forgotten to buy a gift in the past, leaving empty-handed Brits feeling guilty (34%) and awkward (32%).
• Britain’s king of stealth, The Traitors winner Harry Clark, has teamed up with Deliveroo to head up the specially trained ‘Secret Like Santa’ fleet which will rescue Brits from embarrassing forgotten gifting moments.
• The undercover delivery service is available in London, Manchester and Birmingham from Wednesday 11th until Friday 13th December - free with all purchases from the store.
  
  

Wednesday 4th December 2024: With the UK gearing up for office Christmas parties, festive dinners and family gatherings, ‘tis the season for gift giving. Yet over half (55%) of Brits admit they’ve turned up to an event red-faced, having forgotten that all-important gift*.

To save the more than half the nation (59%) who struggle to find a great gift at the last minute from gifting something they already own (29%) or stopping by the petrol station (13%), Deliveroo has opened a unique Christmas store so forgetful customers in a bind can order beautifully wrapped Christmas gifts and have them delivered in total stealth mode, just when they need them most, in under 30 minutes.

Deliveroo has enlisted the master of incognito operations, Harry Clark, to lead the undercover deliveries. Earning a reputation as the nation’s king of stealth, the winner of the popular TV show The Traitors has specially trained a squad of covert ‘Secret Like Santa’ riders in the art of disguise and sneakiness. These riders will deliver gifts on the sly, hiding behind bushes, tip-toeing down driveways, and even passing presents through windows - doing whatever it takes to deliver last-minute presents, completely undetected.

The free ‘Secret Like Santa’ doorstep delivery service will save last-minute gift givers from the guilt (34%), awkwardness (32%) and embarrassment (32%) they’ve felt when they’ve forgotten a gift in the past.

From Wednesday 11th until Friday 13th December**, the undercover delivery service comes free with every purchase via the store and will be available in London, Manchester and Birmingham. Deliveroo customers can order from a list of carefully selected gifts from much-loved brands on the ‘Secret Like Santa’ store, all priced between £5-10 (see Notes to Editors for full range).

TV personality Harry Clark said: “I know a thing or two about flying under the radar, so I’ve trained Deliveroo’s ‘Secret Like Santa’ riders to do what I do best and deliver gifts to last-minute buyers – secretly and speedily. Forgotten grandma’s present? Your office Secret Santa? Even your best mate? You know what to do. Head to the Secret Like Santa store on Deliveroo, pick a gift, and my ‘Secret Like Santa’ riders will sort it - delivered so slyly and quickly, they’ll be none the wiser.”

With Brits forgetting people off their shopping list due to time constraints (24%), miscommunication (24%) and uncertainty about gift choices (20%), research reveals the top-used excuses for not turning up with a gift include ‘I forgot’ (24%), and ‘I left it at home’ (20%). Brits are more likely to forget a gift for their friend (22%), over a colleague (14%) or next-door neighbour (13%). Gen Z are the most last-minute generation, leaving gift-buying to the week leading up to Christmas (26%).

As one-third (32%) of Brits find gift wrapping tedious (almost half (49%) would pay for someone to wrap their presents for them), Deliveroo’s ‘Secret Like Santa’ riders will deliver gifts ready-wrapped, leaving recipients totally unsuspecting it was a last-minute buy.

Arabella Jenkins from Deliveroo adds: “This Christmas, no one needs to be in a panic if they’ve forgotten a gift. With Harry and his specially-trained stealth squad of ‘Secret Like Santa’ riders’, we’ve got you covered, with a range of thoughtful gifts delivered in as little as 30 minutes. We’re excited to expand our Deliveroo Shopping offering even further with wonderful gifts to suit every occasion and every recipient, available all year round, even on Christmas Eve!”

With a selection of 12 handpicked gifts* to suit any recipient, the ‘Secret Like Santa’ store offers something for everyone, from colourful candles to jewellery, and even a grow-your-own chilli sauce kit. The gifts feature products from much-loved retailers, including Boots, Not on the High Street independent UK brands, Hurleyburley and Gluttonous Gardener, and London-based shops Lark and Not Another Bill, and are only available at the store for a limited time only.**

The limited-edition ‘Secret Like Santa’ store and FREE undercover gift delivery service will be available in London on 11th December, Manchester on 12th December and Birmingham on 13th December. Offering a variety of gifts to suit every gifting moment on a first-come-first-serve basis- while limited stocks last - so be quick! Available to UK Deliveroo customers only, in cities and on the dates specified. Geographical Restrictions may apply. Search for ‘Secret Like Santa’ in the app here or online.

ENDS

Notes to editors

T&Cs For full terms and conditions and eligible postcodes relating to the Secret Like Santa service, see https://a.storyblok.com/f/62776/x/1f9e46718c/deliveroo--secret-like-santa--t-cs_december.pdf. Please note that this service is a limited edition and will be available to customers on a first-come-serve basis, so be quick! Available to UK Deliveroo customers only, in the cities and on the dates specified. Geographical Restrictions may apply.

Research Methodology *A survey by OnePoll of 2,000 UK adults took place between 20th - 21st November 2024.

The top 10 excuses Brits use when they’ve not bought someone a gift:

• I forgot
• I left it at home
• I got caught up with work
• I ran out of time
• I didn’t realise we were exchanging gifts
• It hasn’t been delivered yet
• The gift I wanted to get you wasn’t in stock when - I went to buy it
• I’m going to take you out for dinner instead
• It got lost in the post
• I wanted you to pick your gift

*Secret Like Santa also comes as Deliveroo rolls out a gifting functionality in Deliveroo Shopping, making it a seamless experience to send gifts directly to a loved one’s location. To use the ‘give a gift’ function, after choosing their present and adding it to their basket, customers must select the ‘make this a gift’ option at checkout and update it with the recipient’s address and phone number.

**Secret Like Santa opening days, times and delivery radius:

• London – 11th December, from 12-4pm and 5-7pm
• Delivery radius: Areas of: W1K, W1J, W1D, W1T, W1W, W1B, W1G, W1U, W1F
• Manchester – 12th December, from 12-4pm and 5-7pm
• Delivery radius: Areas of: M3, M1, M15, M12, M4, M2
• Birmingham – 13th December, from 12-4pm and 5-7pm
• Delivery radius: Areas of: B1, B2, B3, B4, B5, B6, B7, B9, B12, B15, B16, B18, B19
  
  

**Gifts available at the Secret Like Santa store: Consumers can pick from 12 different hand picked last-minute gifts from the Secret Like Santa store priced between £5-10, with all orders qualifying for delivery in stealth mode by the store's undercover riders between 11th and 13th December 2024 between 12-4 pm and 5-7 pm.

• Barley Lane by Totes Reindeer Footsie, available in one size (fits 4-8)- from Boots - £5
• Soap & Glory Original Pink Candle Gift Set - from Boots - £10
• The INKEY List Plump It Up Set - from Boots - £10
• Striped Dinner Candles - British Colour Standard from Not Another Bill - £5
• Splatter Tapas Bowl - from Not Another Bill - £10
• Hip Suga Water Bottle - Pebble - from Lark - £5
• Leather Playing Card Holder And Cards - Hurley Burley from Not on the High Street - £10
• 18ct Gold Plated Chunky Hoop Earrings - Hurley Burley from Not on the High Street - £10
• Grow Your Own Chilli Sauce Gift Kit - The Gluttonous Gardener from Not on the High Street - £10
• Heavy Polished Belcher Chain 51cm - Hurley Burley from Not on the High Street - £10
• Sunday Rain Bath Crystals Acai Berry - from Lark - £5
• Cocktail Shaker Small - from Not Another Bill - £10
  
  

**This limited-edition collection of hand-picked gifts and brands will only be available to purchase at the Secret Like Santa store via Deliveroo from December 11th to 13th, 2024. Outside of this, not all brands and gifts will be available to Deliveroo customers nationwide. Geographical restrictions may apply.