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Amazon has announced it will close its Amazon Fresh convenience stores in the UK, with five locations set to be converted into Whole Foods Market outlets. Launched as checkout-free stores using "walk out" technology, the Fresh format carried groceries and "by Amazon" products but was reassessed after a business review. The company said online grocery and household essentials via Amazon.co.uk, Amazon Fresh online, Whole Foods Market, and partners like Morrisons and Co-op are seeing stronger demand. From next year, Amazon plans to expand into perishable groceries with same-day delivery. The move reflects a focus on digital-first growth and premium food retail.
Amazon recently announced that it had decided to close its network of Amazon Fresh convenience stores in the United Kingdom. The company stated that it intended to convert five of these sites into Whole Foods Market outlets, marking a major change in its retail presence. Advertisement
The Amazon Fresh format was introduced as a pioneer in checkout-free shopping, using "walk out" technology that allowed customers to collect groceries without queuing at tills. The stores also carried a range of products under its "by Amazon" label.
According to the company, the closures followed an evaluation of the business and consideration of where the greatest growth opportunities lie. Executives explained that online delivery was showing significant momentum, with particularly strong demand for groceries and household essentials through Amazon.co.uk, Amazon Fresh online, Whole Foods Market, and delivery tie-ups with Morrisons, Co-op, Iceland, and Gopuff.
Amazon also disclosed that from next year it intended to widen the range of goods available through Amazon.co.uk by offering perishable groceries alongside everyday essentials and other categories, with same-day delivery. As part of this strategy, five former Amazon Fresh shops will be rebranded under the Whole Foods Market banner, the premium US grocery chain acquired by Amazon in 2017.
By investing further in same-day delivery and introducing perishable groceries to its core platform, the company is concentrating on segments with stronger growth prospects. The conversion of select sites into Whole Foods Market branches also signals a continued commitment to premium food retail, while reaffirming its broader focus on digital-first operations.
Source - Reuters
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