Amazon will close all 19 of its Fresh grocery stores in the UK, just four years after launching the till-free concept. Five locations will be converted into Whole Foods Market outlets, the organic grocery chain Amazon acquired in 2017.
The first Fresh store opened in Ealing in 2021, using cameras and sensors to charge customers automatically as they left. But the concept faltered after the pandemic, with demand for contactless shopping falling and competition from Tesco and Sainsbury’s proving too strong.
Amazon has not confirmed how many staff will be affected but said workers would be offered roles elsewhere in the company. The closures come as Amazon seeks to integrate Whole Foods more closely into its business, extending corporate programmes such as pay and benefits to staff.
The company also plans to expand online grocery shopping, allowing UK customers to order fresh products including meat, seafood and dairy directly from its website. Partnerships with Morrisons, Iceland, Co-op and Gopuff will remain central to its grocery operations.
Amazon’s grocery business in the UK is under scrutiny, with the Groceries Code Adjudicator investigating claims that the company has failed to pay suppliers on time. Despite the setbacks, Amazon UK country manager John Boumphrey said the company would continue investing to expand choice and convenience for shoppers.
