Is Amazon about to take on the UK supermarkets in a groceries war? Maybe.
As we reported previously, Amazon is bringing its groceries service Amazon Fresh to the UK.
And now according to press reports, the trial has started. Retail Week says that a soft launch is under way in Birmingham right now with the possibility of a broader UK launch after Christmas.
As they say in Retail Week: “Retail Week understands the online retailer will offer Birmingham residents one-hour delivery on about 50 key chilled food products from today as it seeks to test the network.”
Apparently Amazon is leasing a 257,855 sq ft warehouse site in Bardon, Leicestershire from Logicor. London deliveries will reportedly start in October.
To give a flavour of what an Amazon Fresh service might look like over here: in the US Prime costs $99 (in the UK £79) and on top of that Amazon Fresh customers pay another $200. The Amazon Fresh service is available right now in Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York City, San Diego and Philadelphia.
We’d love to hear from anyone in the Birmingham area who may be part of a trial or soft launch who can give impressions of the new service. So if that’s you, do get in touch.
4 Responses
We live about a mile from this warehouse and read about in local news. Interesting that it will supply Birmingham addresses as it takes us about 45 minutes to get to Central Brum from here If they are servicing Birmingham why not be closer? Will be watching developments here. Will ask my son who used to work for DHL near this site and he,himself, is in logistics so may hear some “local gossip” Will update you as and when
One-hour delivery from Leicestershire to Birmingham?! Drones?!
Bet the aston express way will alter how fresh yer carrots are
Are they offering “delivery within one hour” or “delivery within a previously booked hour long slot”?
The latter is what the Amazon Fresh service offers in the US and is similar to the pre-booked delivery service offered by most UK supermarkets.