Amazon will close all 19 of its Amazon Fresh stores in the UK, with five sites set to be converted into Whole Foods outlets. The decision comes just four years after the launch of its first cashierless store in Ealing, west London.
The concept, which allowed customers to walk out without using a till, struggled to gain traction after the pandemic, leaving Amazon unable to compete with major supermarkets such as Tesco and Sainsbury’s.
The company did not confirm how many staff would be affected, though it said it would offer alternative roles in other divisions. The closures are part of a broader overhaul of Amazon’s grocery strategy, with greater emphasis placed on Whole Foods, which it acquired in 2017.
Amazon is also aiming to expand grocery access for Prime members by strengthening partnerships with Morrisons, Iceland, Co-op, and Gopuff, while preparing to sell fresh groceries directly on its website next year.
The move follows increased scrutiny of Amazon’s grocery operations in the UK, including a current investigation by the Groceries Code Adjudicator into delayed supplier payments.
