TESCO, SAINSBURY LAUNCH ONLINE SHOPPING

LONDON (FNS) -- Tesco plc and J. Sainsbury plc have entered the computer age.

shopping services in Britain. The services are via the Internet and CompuServe. Tesco and Sainsbury are both offering wine via the services. Tesco has linked up with CompuServe to offer 90 of its private-label wines from throughout the world. The system also recommends wines for a particular occasion, a spokeswoman said.

Under the service, CompuServe takes the order, which is sent by electronic mail to Tesco. Tesco sends the order electronically to its warehouse, where it is selected, picked up by a courier and delivered. Tesco promises delivery within 14 days.

The Sainsbury's service on the Internet offers 40 wines under its Wine Direct program. Customers access the Internet and can browse through a page on each wine, including an image of the bottle and a close-up photo of the label. A wine can be selected either by country or by price range. Customers fill in the Internet order form, which is confirmed by electronic mail. A follow-up telephone call is then made to obtain credit card details for payment.

The service is another step in Sainsbury's involvement with Internet, which began in February. Other information it provides includes a list of its store locations, company history, recent press releases and celebrity recipes.

"The home delivery is initially confined to the U.K., but we expect to extend its availablity overseas soon," said David Quarmby, Sainsbury's joint managing director.