Amazon is expanding its ultra-fast delivery options in the UK, introducing 30‑minute delivery to more cities and adding fresh groceries to its same‑day service, according to reporting by the Guardian. The move follows the closure of the company’s standalone Amazon Fresh grocery stores in the country.
The expansion will bring deliveries in 30 minutes or less to Manchester and Birmingham, while a fresh groceries service is due to start in London. Amazon is positioning the changes as an upgrade to convenience for customers who want rapid access to everyday items, including fruit and vegetables, without visiting a physical store.
What Amazon is changing
According to the Guardian’s account of the plans, Amazon is making two main changes in the UK:
- Extending ultra-fast delivery: Deliveries in 30 minutes or less, which Amazon has been testing in parts of the UK, will be rolled out to customers in Manchester and Birmingham. This service is aimed at people who want products almost immediately, rather than in the usual one‑day or same‑day window.
- Adding fresh groceries to same‑day: In London, Amazon will begin offering fresh groceries — including fruit and vegetables — as part of its same‑day delivery options. That means customers in eligible areas will be able to order fresh food and receive it later that day, rather than relying on next‑day slots or separate grocery formats.
These steps effectively fold more grocery and fresh‑food options into Amazon’s existing delivery network, rather than relying on separate shopfronts.
Link to Amazon Fresh store closures
The expansion comes after Amazon closed its standalone Amazon Fresh grocery stores in the UK. Those physical outlets were the company’s attempt to operate branded, walk‑in supermarkets offering a mix of fresh food and packaged goods.
By closing the stores and instead widening rapid delivery, Amazon is shifting how it reaches UK grocery shoppers. Rather than asking customers to travel to a dedicated Amazon‑run shop, the company is emphasizing speed of delivery from online orders, including for perishable items.
The Guardian’s reporting connects these developments directly: the new ultra‑fast and fresh‑food services are being introduced following the decision to shut the Amazon Fresh store network in the UK.
Who is affected
The immediate impact falls on several groups:
- Customers in Manchester and Birmingham will gain access to 30‑minute delivery for eligible items, giving them a faster option than standard same‑day or next‑day services.
- Customers in London will be able to order fresh groceries — including fruit and vegetables — for same‑day delivery, expanding what they can get quickly without visiting a supermarket.
- Amazon’s UK retail operations will rely more heavily on logistics and delivery infrastructure to handle fresh items, which are more time‑sensitive than many other products.
The Guardian’s account does not detail which specific neighbourhoods or postcodes will be covered, how many products will qualify for 30‑minute delivery, or what minimum order values or fees might apply. Those operational details will determine how widely the new services are felt within each city.
Why this matters
The changes matter for how people in parts of the UK can access groceries and other essentials:
- Speed as a selling point: By offering deliveries in 30 minutes or less, Amazon is emphasizing speed as a key feature of its UK service, especially in large urban areas.
- Fresh food via delivery, not stores: After closing its standalone grocery stores, Amazon is now channeling fresh groceries through its delivery network instead. For customers, that means the company’s grocery presence in the UK is shifting from in‑person shopping to online orders with rapid fulfilment.
Because the available reporting is limited, there is not yet independent detail on how many customers will be eligible, how pricing will work, or how the rollout will progress over time. Those points will become clearer as Amazon releases more information or as additional reporting emerges.
What to watch next
Based on the Guardian’s coverage, the key developments to watch are:
- How Amazon defines eligibility and coverage areas for 30‑minute delivery in Manchester and Birmingham
- When the fresh groceries same‑day service in London becomes available to customers and how extensive its product range is
- Any further changes Amazon makes to its UK grocery strategy following the closure of its Amazon Fresh stores
For now, the confirmed development is that Amazon plans to extend ultra‑fast delivery to Manchester and Birmingham and to add fresh groceries to its same‑day services in London, marking a shift toward rapid delivery as its primary way of reaching UK grocery customers.
