Amazon is closing all 19 of its Amazon Fresh stores in the UK, just four years after launching the first till-less grocery shop in London. The company plans to convert five of these into Whole Foods Market outlets, the US organic chain it acquired in 2017.
The Fresh stores, which allowed customers to enter via an app and be automatically charged for items picked up using cameras and sensors, struggled to gain traction as demand for contactless shopping declined after the pandemic. Amazon has not posed a serious threat to established rivals such as Tesco and Sainsbury’s.
Amazon did not confirm how many staff would be affected but said it would offer workers new roles elsewhere in the business. The closures come as part of a broader overhaul of Amazon's grocery strategy, with a stronger focus on Whole Foods, which has operated with significant independence since its $13.7bn acquisition.
Amazon also announced plans to double the number of Prime members in the UK with access to at least three grocery options through partnerships with Morrisons, Iceland, Co-op and Gopuff. From next year, customers will be able to buy fresh groceries, including dairy, meat and seafood, on the Amazon website.
The company's grocery business has faced scrutiny in the UK, including an investigation by the Groceries Code Adjudicator in June over claims of failing to pay suppliers on time. John Boumphrey, Amazon UK country manager, said the company continues to innovate to help customers save time and money.
