Amazon is tapping into the food delivery market with the introduction of an online one-hour delivery service for fresh food, entering a highly competitive market in which major UK retailers have been in the game for years.
The American online retailer is testing the waters by offering between 50 to 60 frozen and chilled food products as part of its Prime Now one-hour delivery service. Birmingham was the first city to test the new service, and it is expected the expansion will reach some London postcodes next month.
The launch sees Amazon pit itself against other online food delivery services, such as Ocado, as well as major UK supermarkets - Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Morrisons.
Items on offer include the sort of food customers might want to order quickly for a weekend night in front of the TV, such as Chicago Town pizzas, Birds Eye fish fingers and Ben & Jerry’s ice-cream
Amazon said: “Prime Now customers already benefit from ultra-fast delivery on everything from essentials like bottled water, coffee and nappies to must-have products like the latest video games and devices. We are excited to be adding a range of chilled and frozen items to this selection.”
Amazon’s full grocery service, Amazon Fresh, is available in Seattle, California and New York, and the company is thought to be close to launching in the UK.
The arrival of such a service in the UK would provide another challenge to British supermarkets, which are struggling to cope with rising competition from the discounters Aldi and Lidl. Aldi has increased the pressure on its rivals by announcing plans to sell wine and non-food items online from next year.
However, this service can be seen as a major positive for British farmers, whose local produce can be sold on Amazon's new platform, bringing a whole new dimension for struggling farmers.
