Fresh start in September?
Amazon may be planning to launch its Amazon Fresh online grocery delivery service in London in September. UK broadsheets including The Telegraph and The Times have carried reports on the London Fresh start over the past few days – indeed, The Times said that plans “are at an advanced stage” – but Amazon has so far not commented on the speculation.
The mere fact that Amazon might be bringing Fresh to London within the next two months has already had an effect on the market. Ocado’s share price on the New York Stock Exchange fell sharply at the end of last week after US stockbrokers got wind of the Amazon Fresh rumours.
If Amazon does bring Amazon Fresh to London in September, it will be entering the market at an interesting time for online grocery deliveries. Over the past few weeks, some key players, notably Tesco and the John Lewis Group (which includes upmarket grocer Waitrose), have been revising their policy on free deliveries and Click and Collect services.
Amazon has been ramping up its profile in the UK capital recently. On 30 June, it launched the Amazon Prime Now service in selected areas of London. With the Prime Now Service, Amazon Prime members can have a range of goods delivered within one hour of ordering for £6.99, or they can opt for a two-hour, same-day window for free. The service runs from 8 am to midnight, seven days a week. The Prime Now Service is available for staple “everyday” products such as coffee, batteries and nappies, as well as other popular items like toys and sports equipment.
