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But virtual shopping could have a major impact on car use and it is growing
fast on both side of the Atlantic. From Austin, Texas, to Uxbridge, west London,
you can do your weekly grocery shopping on the Web—and then sit back and
wait for it to be delivered. In Britain, Tesco has a dozen virtual
superstores—delivering to customers in London and Leeds
(http://www.tesco.co.uk/homeshop/).
In the US, Peapod (http://www.peapod.com/), which operates
in association with supermarkets such as Safeway, delivers in eight major
cities. Choice Mall (http://www.choicemall.com/2yourdoor/) says it will
deliver groceries throughout the US as well as in Canada and South Africa. The
impact on traffic that virtual shopping could have is largely unrecognised. In
Britain, one in four car journeys are for shopping or similar trips to the high
streets. Just one Tesco van can replace more than a dozen car trips to the
supermarket—and your food won’t defrost on the back seat.