Amazon will shut down all 19 of its Amazon Fresh stores in the UK, just four years after opening its first grocery shop in London. Five of the sites will be converted into Whole Foods Market outlets, the organic grocery chain Amazon acquired in 2017.
The Fresh stores, launched in 2021, used cameras and sensors to allow customers to walk out without visiting a till, with purchases automatically charged via an app. While the concept gained traction during the pandemic, demand waned as restrictions eased, and Amazon struggled to compete with UK supermarket giants such as Tesco and Sainsbury’s.
The company did not confirm how many staff would be affected but said employees would be offered roles in other divisions. The closures form part of a broader shift toward expanding the Whole Foods brand and strengthening Amazon’s grocery partnerships with Morrisons, Iceland, Co-op and Gopuff.
From next year, UK customers will also be able to order fresh groceries, including meat, dairy and seafood, directly through Amazon’s website.
Amazon’s grocery operations are under regulatory scrutiny. The Groceries Code Adjudicator launched an investigation in June into allegations that the company failed to pay suppliers on time.
John Boumphrey, Amazon UK’s country manager, said the company would continue to invest in grocery innovation, adding: “We continue to invent and invest to bring more choice and convenience to UK customers.”
