Supermarket shoppers will now be able to have their groceries delivered and put away – without even being at home.

Waitrose & Partners will be the first supermarket to trial a new “while you’re away” service.

It features a new smart lock system from Yale that enables customers to grant delivery drivers temporary access to their homes with a special code. The code is sent to the driver through a secure app and deleted once the delivery is complete.

The customer can give instructions on where to put frozen or chilled goods, and the whole process will be captured on a camera attached to the driver’s uniform that can be checked by the customer for security purposes.

Nigel Fisher, Managing Director for Yale UK, said: “Working with Waitrose & Partners to develop the UK’s first in-home delivery service is an exciting premise for Yale, as we look to understand how smart products can enhance daily lives, as well as protecting your home.”

Archie Mason, Head of Business Development at Waitrose & Partners, said: “There is certainly an increasing demand among our customers to make shopping with us even more convenient to fit around their busy lifestyles.

“Rather than waiting for a delivery or trying to put everything away, it gives customers more flexibility to use that time differently, including more time enjoying cooking and eating the food they've bought.

“The concept of ‘in-home delivery’ has started to prove popular in other countries so we are keen to establish if there is an appetite for it in the UK.”

If the trial is successful, Yale and Waitrose anticipate making the service available to more than 1,000 customers in spring 2019.