Amazon to shutter all Fresh stores putting hundreds of jobs at risk

The retailer is planning to end the bricks-and-mortar experiment it started back in 2021, although it is proposing to convert five of the stores into Whole Foods market stores. 

Amazon is planning an overhaul of its UK grocery operations, which will see it focus on its online business which it insists is still “fully committed” to the UK. 

The retailer plans to double the number of Prime subscription members, who will have access to delivery from at least three of the retailer’s grocery partners: Morrisons, Co-op, Iceland and rapid delivery business GoPuff. Amazon also has plans to introduce fresh groceries to its own grocery delivery ecommerce site from next year. 

Affected staff have been placed into consultation, and Amazon said it would offer affected workers new roles in other parts of the business.

Amazon country manager for the UK and Ireland John Boumphrey said: “Since 2008, we’ve worked hard to innovate to help our customers save time and money when shopping for groceries and household essentials.

“We continue to invent and invest to bring more choice and convenience to UK customers, enabling them to shop for a wide range of everyday essentials and groceries with low prices and fast delivery through Amazon.co.uk, Amazon Fresh, and Whole Foods Market stores, alongside our third-party grocery partners including Morrisons, Co-op, Iceland, and Gopuff.”

The retailer opened its first Fresh store powered by its ‘Just Walk Out’ contactless technology in west London during the pandemic, and had high hopes for the format at the time. However, ambitious expansion plans for the model were curbed as shopper demand for the technology waned after the pandemic subsided.