Amazon has confirmed it will close all 19 of its Amazon Fresh grocery stores in the UK, placing around 250 jobs at risk. The move marks a significant retreat from the technology giant's effort to break into high street food retail.
The Fresh stores, launched in London in 2021, were designed to showcase Amazon's 'Just Walk Out' checkout-free system. Shoppers could select products and leave without visiting a till, with sensors and cameras charging purchases automatically. But weak demand, high operating costs and strong competition from established supermarkets have forced Amazon to scale back.
