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Amazon sets out plans for 260 cashierless UK supermarkets

Interesting that tech giants, having conquered the internet, are turning their gaze on more traditional bricks and mortar businesses.

Undervalued property assets are one aspect of course but growth has to come from somewhere else too.

According to reports in Business Insider and London’s City AM, internal documents show that Amazon is planning to open 260 cashierless supermarkets across the UK by the end of 2024, including 60 in 2022. Germany, Spain and Italy are also being targeted. Former Tesco exec Tony Hoggett has been signed up to lead the charge.

The Amazon document says: “In 2022, we assume a broader rollout of 2 store launches per week by the end of (the) year, targeting 60 total openings.”

“In 2023 and 2024, we are planning 100 store launches per year, in line with more aggressive opening programmes achieved by convenience stores in the UK in the last five years, Tesco’s, Sainsbury’s and Co-op have all exceeded 100 openings per year.”

If anyone can make self-scanning work on a big scale it’s Amazon. As people change from massive weekly shops to regular top-ups it’s an interesting challenge for the supermarket giants.

And for those of us who don’t want to do everything via an app.

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