First Amazon grocery store opening in Britain
Young shoppers interested in skipping checkout lines with cashier-less tech
With the first Amazon grocery store opening in Britain, latest research from Mintel reveals that three quarters (76%) of Brits say they would shop at one.
When asked what would encourage them to shop at a physical Amazon grocery store, almost two thirds (63%) of consumers said they would be attracted to discounts for Prime membership. Meanwhile, a quarter (24%) would like the opportunity to be able to collect online orders.
Overall attraction in shopping at these physical stores was higher among younger shoppers, with 84% of 16-34s showing some interest; conversely 39% of over-65s said they would not shop in an Amazon grocery store.
In its US Go and Fresh stores, Amazon has made waves with its 'Just Walk Out' technology that allows shoppers a 'check-out free' experience. While less than one in five (17%) Brits are drawn to the prospect of cashier-less technology, this rises to 27% of 16-24s.
The importance of a fast shopping experience is highlighted by the 44% of consumers who say they have looked to limit their time in-store since the pandemic began.
Just under one in five (18%) consumers purchased food and drink online from Amazon in the past year. Amazon Fresh is regularly used by only 7% of Prime members.
Overall, almost nine in ten (89%) Brits shop at Amazon and those with access to Amazon Prime hit a record 50% in 2020 with almost a quarter (23%) signing up in the last year, according to Mintel research.
“This is a destination store and a technological show of force from Amazon, designed to give shoppers a glimpse into the future,” said Nick Carroll, Mintel Associate Director of Retail. “Amazon Go in the US debuted the ‘Just Walk Out’ technology, which was then improved upon by Amazon Fresh by adding the technology to shopping trolleys in the form of the Dash Cart. In the current climate, it is very practical as shoppers are cautious about spending too long in-store.”
