Amazon will close all 19 of its Amazon Fresh stores in the UK, just four years after opening the first outlet in London. Five of the shops will be converted into Whole Foods Market stores, the US organic grocery chain Amazon bought in 2017.
The Fresh stores, launched in 2021, used cameras and sensors to let customers walk out without visiting a till, with charges processed through an app. The idea struggled to gain traction after the pandemic, failing to compete with established rivals such as Tesco and Sainsbury’s.
Amazon did not reveal how many staff will be affected but said it would offer alternative roles within the company. The closures come as part of a wider shift in Amazon’s grocery strategy, focusing more on Whole Foods and expanding partnerships with UK supermarkets including Morrisons, Co-op, Iceland, and Gopuff.
From next year, shoppers will be able to buy fresh groceries such as meat, seafood, and dairy directly from Amazon’s website. Meanwhile, the company faces scrutiny from the Groceries Code Adjudicator, which launched an investigation into late supplier payments earlier this year.
Amazon UK country manager John Boumphrey said the company would continue to invest in grocery innovation, offering customers more choice and convenience through its website, Whole Foods, and partner retailers.
