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Amazon to Close All 19 UK Amazon Fresh Stores as It Refocuses on Online Grocery

The company has begun consultations with about 250 staff, signaling a pivot to online grocery alongside a larger Whole Foods footprint.

Overview

  • Amazon has launched a formal consultation proposing the closure of all 19 Amazon Fresh shops in the UK.
  • Up to five Fresh sites are slated for conversion to Whole Foods, with two additional new locations planned to bring the chain to about 12 UK stores by the end of next year.
  • Roughly 250 retail roles are affected by the proposals, and Amazon says it will seek to redeploy as many employees as possible.
  • Amazon plans to add fresh groceries such as dairy, meat and seafood to Amazon.co.uk next year and introduce same-day grocery delivery, while expanding access through partners Morrisons, Iceland, Co‑op and Gopuff.
  • The cashierless Fresh format launched in 2021 struggled to gain traction after pandemic shopping patterns eased, with most stores in Greater London and one in Sevenoaks, Kent.