Amazon prepares to launch chain of Go stores in UK

Amazon has already arranged to open around 10 Go shops and is in talks about another 20 locations, The Sunday Times reported. The first branch is expected to open in London this year.

Amazon is thought to be interested in opening Go shops near transport hubs, enabling it to cater for commuters who want speed and convenience while travelling.

It was reported earlier this year that Notting Hill in west London was a likely location for a Go store, although Amazon has not formally disclosed any plans to launch the format in the UK.

The etailer opened the first Amazon Go store in its home city of Seattle in the US two years ago, as part of an increasingly multichannel approach – it also owns the Whole Foods Market grocery chain.

Go stores are equipped with cameras that track what shoppers purchase, enabling customers to pay using an app without the need to queue.

The launch of Amazon Go in the UK would be a further step up in the etailer’s attempts to win market share. Last week, Amazon launched launched free grocery deliveries for its Prime members as it seeks to take on the established supermarkets.