Computer aided shopping service for those who really need it

Tesco, Gateshead metropolitan borough council and the University of Newcastle have developed a computer‐aided shopping service aimed at bringing the advantages of the superstore to those people who are either housebound or confined to shopping in a local area. The service is based in a branch library in an inner city neighbourhood and uses modern point of sale equipment to effect the ordering and delivery of goods, and Prestel to provide information about both shopping opportunities and matters of local community concern. Bob Davies describes the philosophy behind it and how this pilot scheme has developed practically.