Three new Amazon Fresh stores open in London

Amazon continues to bet on bricks and mortar retail in the UK. Yesterday the group opened  three new Amazon Fresh grocery stores in London, in Wandsworth, Euston and Chingford, bringing the total number in the UK to 15.

In October Amazon had also chosen the UK for its first general store outside the United States, the 4-Star shop at Bluewater shopping centre in Kent.

All the Amazon Fresh stores are open from 7 AM to 11 PM seven days a week and use the e-commerce giant’s Just Walk Out technology. Customers can use the Amazon app to enter and shop Amazon Fresh’s range of food and daily essentials, including “by Amazon”, the group’s private label.

At the end of their visit to the store customers can leave without having to check out or stand in a queue to pay. Billings and receipts are handled through the customer’s Amazon account shortly after their visit.

The 2,500 sq ft Euston store that opened yesterday is at Regent’s Place, one of British Land’s London campuses. It is the second to open in British Land’s portfolio, following the opening of the first ever UK store at Ealing Broadway last March.

“The Regent’s Place campus benefits from its proximity to local and international transport links, the latest in sustainable design and a lively mix of retail, leisure and public spaces”, said Darren Richards, Head of Real Estate, British Land. “The letting follows one of our strongest six months for retail leasing activity in recent years, with total activity of more than 1 million sq ft”.

British Land has three campuses in London at Regent’s Place, Paddington Central and Broadgate and is delivering a fourth one at Canada Water. The campuses offer a mix of residential, commercial, retail and community space and account for 70% of the group’s portfolio.

Amazon has said it plans further openings in the Greater London area and according to reports the next Amazon Fresh store could be in Bankside.