Amazon launch huge new food service to take on other UK supermarkets
Retailer has promises 'low prices across its entire selection' which covers food as well as baby and beauty products
AMAZON is set to take on UK supermarkets with the launch of a huge new food service today.
The scheme, called AmazonFresh, will allow Prime members to do their weekly grocery shopping on the site and have them delivered the same day.
The service is currently only operating in certain parts of London, but Amazon said it would consider whether to roll out to other parts of the UK in the future.
More than 130,000 products from big brands as well as local markets and independent shops will be available on the Fresh section of Amazon UK, which can be accessed by users in 69 central and east London postcodes.
Major brands to be sold on the site include Coca-Cola, Kellogg’s, Walkers and Yeo Valley, as well as thousands of Morrisons products.
Customers will be given the option of one-hour delivery slots available from 7am to 11pm, seven days a week.
Those who order before 1pm can have their goods delivered after 5pm of the same day.
The retailer has promised “low prices across its entire selection”, which includes fresh food such as fruit, vegetables and meat as well as pet supplies, baby and beauty products.
A list of 33 standard grocery items available on AmazonFresh, including butter, lettuce and quiche, totalled £58.93 - nearly a pound less than Asda.
But not every item cost less than in the supermarket - meaning it is still worth shopping around for the best deals and offers.
And there are starting costs before buying. On top of the £79 yearly subscription to Prime, customers must pay a further £6.99 per month to use AmazonFresh. The charge allows them unlimited deliveries of orders costing £40.
The project has been seen as a significant assault on the UK grocery market as previously Amazon UK only offered a limited selection of fresh food products via its Prime Now service, which operates in certain areas of the UK.
Other non-fresh food products are available from Amazon’s Grocery Store and Pantry Service.
Amazon said customers can receive a refund if they are unhappy with the freshness of their food.
If an ordered item is not available on delivery on AmazonFresh, they will receive a free substitute in its place.
This is Amazon’s first major venture into the fresh food market outside the US, where a similar scheme runs in certain areas including parts of California, New York and Philadelphia.
Ajay Kavan, vice president of AmazonFresh, said: “We believe that they key to the long term success of
AmazonFresh is to bring together the low prices, vast selection, fast delivery options and customer experience that Amazon customers know and love.
“We are launching with a comprehensive offer in a limited area and will take our time to hone and improve our service based on our learnings and feedback from our customers.
“We will be very methodical and considered in how we roll this service out further in the UK.”
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