Not on the Internet itself, but online, is the Baltimore-based Metro Food Markets. Every month, the company distributes CD-ROM based copies of their 'Virtual Shopping Program' to local addresses. Whenever a customer gets the urge to purchase, he fires up the program, which automatically dials into Metro's computer and downloads the latest price list. This done, he can log on, browse virtual aisles and put goods in a virtual shopping trolley. When the shopping trip is complete, the order is transmitted to the Metro store that's closest to the customer, and he then collects. Otherwise, he can have it delivered for an additional $8.

    How depressingly different it is in the UK. Although Sainsbury and Tesco are on the web, the only goods they currently sell online are booze, flowers, and the occasional tacky gift item. And according to them, this is the way things are likely to stay. Why? Quite simply, it all boils down to delivery problems. And a major cultural difference between here and America.

    For years in the US, people have been able to go into supermarkets, make their purchases, and then have them delivered to their door. So the all-important distribution infrastructure is there already. Not so here. If online grocery shopping is going to work in Britain, the major supermarket chains are going to have to invest millions in vans and trucks to get their beans and carrots to us. To be quite honest, I'm certain they'd rather spend the money building new out-of-town hypermarkets. So I suspect that if online grocery shopping ever does make it big this side of the Pond, it will due entirely to the efforts of independent outfits, such as the 'Supermarket on Wheels' softcare@areti.demon.co.uk that I discussed in a 'Sounding Off' column a few months back.