Onine goliath Amazon has revealed that it will invest £40bn in the UK over the next three years, which it said would create thousands of jobs – primarily outside London and the South East.
Amazon maintained that its investment programme, which was welcomed by prime minister Sir Keir Starmer, would deliver an estimated additional £38bn to GDP.
Plans include building four new fulfilment centres and new delivery stations nationwide, along with upgrades to and expansion of its existing network of over 100 operations locations. The investment includes two previously announced fulfilment centres in Hull and Northampton – creating 2,000 jobs each – and two new centres in the East Midlands.
Amazon, which employs 75,000 people in the UK, will also inject cash into two new buildings at its London head office, in “transportation infrastructure in every region, enabling faster and more efficient service to customers nationwide and critical support to the thousands of small and medium-sized UK businesses who sell their products on Amazon’s stores across the world”, and pay, benefits, and “pioneering training programmes”.
The investment also includes “part” of the £8bn previously announced in September last year to build and operate data centres, “support the UK’s ambition to increase AI compute capacity, and help transform the UK’s digital economy”.
Amazon chief executive Andy Jassy said: “Amazon has been proud to serve our customers in the UK for the past 27 years. Thanks to their support, we’ve grown to be part of over 100 communities nationwide, from developing drone technology in Darlington to producing world-class entertainment at our studios in Bray.
“We have become one of the UK’s largest private sector employers and taxpayers. When Amazon invests, it’s not only in London and the South East – we’re bringing innovation and job creation to communities throughout England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, strengthening the UK’s economy and delivering better experiences for customers wherever they live.”
Sir Keir Starmer said: “Amazon’s investment adds another major win to Britain’s basket and is a massive vote of confidence in the UK as the best place to do business.
“It means thousands of new jobs – real opportunities for people in every corner of the country to build careers, learn new skills, and support their families.
“Whether it’s cutting-edge AI or same-day delivery, this deal shows that our Plan for Change is working – bringing in investment, driving growth, and putting more money in people’s pockets.”
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