Amazon will shut down all 19 of its Amazon Fresh stores in the UK, just four years after opening the first location in London. Five of the stores will be converted into Whole Foods Market outlets, the organic grocery chain Amazon purchased in 2017.
Launched in 2021, Amazon Fresh allowed customers to shop without tills, using an app alongside cameras and sensors to charge shoppers as they left. The concept failed to gain traction after the pandemic, with traditional rivals like Tesco and Sainsbury’s maintaining dominance.
Amazon did not confirm how many staff would be affected but said employees would be offered roles elsewhere in the company. The closures are part of a broader overhaul of Amazon’s grocery business, shifting focus to Whole Foods and expanding online grocery options.
The company plans to double the number of UK Prime members with access to grocery services, supported by partnerships with Morrisons, Co-op, Iceland and Gopuff. From next year, fresh produce such as meat, seafood and dairy will be available directly on Amazon’s website.
The move comes as Amazon faces scrutiny from the Groceries Code Adjudicator, which launched an investigation in June into claims the company was failing to pay suppliers on time.
John Boumphrey, Amazon UK’s country manager, said the company would continue to expand grocery services online and through Whole Foods while aiming to provide “low prices and fast delivery” for customers.
