Amazon will shut down all 19 of its Fresh stores in the UK, just four years after launching the first outlet in London. Five of the sites will be converted into Whole Foods Market shops, the US organic grocery chain acquired by Amazon in 2017.
The Fresh stores, which allowed customers to walk out without using a till thanks to cameras, sensors and an app, failed to gain traction after the pandemic as demand for contactless shopping declined. Amazon struggled to compete with established UK supermarkets such as Tesco and Sainsbury’s.
The company has not confirmed how many staff will be affected but said it intends to offer roles in other parts of the business. The closures form part of a broader shift towards expanding Whole Foods and strengthening partnerships with Morrisons, Co-op, Iceland and Gopuff.
Amazon also announced plans to let UK customers buy fresh groceries, including dairy, meat and seafood, directly from its website next year. The move comes as its grocery arm faces scrutiny, with the Groceries Code Adjudicator investigating whether the company failed to pay suppliers on time.
John Boumphrey, Amazon UK’s country manager, said the firm would continue to “invent and invest” to offer more choice and convenience while focusing on low prices and fast delivery.
