New research from digital and data experts TWC has revealed high awareness for Amazon Fresh at 55 per cent nationally, rising to 68 per cent in London. Just over 1 in 10 shoppers has shopped at an Amazon Fresh store, renowned for its lack of checkouts and payment via the Amazon app.
Amazon now operates 19 stores, mostly in and around London, with its latest opening in commuter town, Sevenoaks, in Kent. The retailer has previously expressed an intention to open 260 physical stores by the end of 2025.
Latest TWC Trends figures suggest that total online grocery penetration is plateauing following rapid growth through the pandemic and subsequent lockdowns. The research was conducted in June 2022 and showed that whilst 14 per cent of shoppers claim to have used the online channel more in the last 6 months, a higher proportion (16 per cent) have used it less – and the majority are using it the same amount.
The research also suggests there is little loyalty in online grocery, with only 18 per cent of consumers saying they always use the same retailer and 13 per cent saying they use an online delivery subscription such as Tesco Delivery Saver or Ocado Smart Pass. These schemes offer unlimited delivery slots for a fixed monthly or annual fee, along with additional benefits such as access to coveted Christmas delivery slots and in some cases discounts on certain items or free gifts.