Seattle-based Amazon has announced the closure of all its Amazon Go and Amazon Fresh physical stores as it sharpens its focus on online grocery delivery, expansion of Whole Foods Market, and the development of new large-format retail concepts.
In a blog post issued on Tuesday, the company said it will wind down operations at its 57 Amazon Fresh stores and 15 Amazon Go outlets. The final day of operations for most locations will be February 1, although stores in California will remain open longer to comply with state regulations. Select former Amazon Fresh locations will be converted into Whole Foods Market stores.
Explaining the decision, Amazon said that while its Amazon-branded physical grocery stores showed “encouraging signals,” the company had not yet achieved a “truly distinctive customer experience with the right economic model needed for large-scale expansion.”
Customers will continue to have access to Amazon Fresh through the company’s online platform, with grocery delivery services remaining available in eligible regions. Amazon currently delivers groceries to around 5,000 cities and towns across the US, including thousands served by same-day delivery for fresh produce, perishables and daily essentials. Based on strong customer feedback, the company plans to expand same-day fresh grocery delivery to additional markets this year.
Amazon’s grocery strategy is increasingly centred around Whole Foods Market, which it acquired in 2017. Since the acquisition, Whole Foods has recorded over 40% sales growth and expanded to more than 550 locations. Amazon now plans to open more than 100 new Whole Foods stores over the next few years.
At the same time, Amazon said it will continue to experiment with physical retail formats. The company revealed plans for a new “supercenter” concept that will allow customers to shop across fresh groceries, household essentials and general merchandise under one roof, though details and timelines were not disclosed.
Amazon is also piloting a new in-store format called Amazon Grocery, launched alongside Whole Foods Market in Chicago and at a Whole Foods location in Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania, enabling customers to shop for both grocery and household essentials from Amazon.
The company highlighted that Amazon Go stores, first launched in Seattle in 2018, played a key role as innovation hubs for its “just walk out” checkout-free technology. That technology is now deployed in more than 360 third-party locations across five countries and is being expanded within Amazon’s own operations, including over 40 North American fulfilment centres.
Amazon Fresh physical stores were introduced in 2020, offering a mix of national brands, fresh produce, meat and seafood. With shifting consumer preferences toward online shopping for everyday essentials, Amazon said its latest move aligns with evolving customer behaviour and its long-term grocery strategy.