Amazon Shutters All Amazon Go And Fresh Stores, Shifts To Whole Foods And Delivery
Amazon said Feb. 1 will be the last day for 57 Amazon Fresh and 15 Amazon Go locations, except California stores, as it shifts focus to Whole Foods and grocery delivery.
Overview
Amazon said in a blog post that it will close all 57 Amazon Fresh stores and 15 Amazon Go locations, with Feb. 1 as the last day of operation except for California sites that will remain open longer to meet state requirements.
The company said it will prioritize Whole Foods Market expansion and grocery delivery, noting Whole Foods' more than 40% sales growth since Amazon's 2017 acquisition and grocery delivery service to 5,000 U.S. cities and towns.
Amazon said it plans to convert some shuttered Amazon Fresh and Amazon Go locations into Whole Foods Market stores and is working to help affected team members find roles elsewhere within Amazon.
Amazon said its "just walk out" technology now operates in more than 360 third-party locations across five countries and is being used in over 40 North American fulfillment center breakrooms, with more deployments planned for 2026.
Amazon said it will open more than 100 new Whole Foods Market stores over the next few years and test a "supercenter" concept, while Neil Saunders, managing director of GlobalData, said the Amazon-branded formats lacked a compelling economic model.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources present Amazon's store closures mainly through Amazon's explanations and business metrics, adopting a corporate-friendly neutrality. Editorial framing emphasizes company-provided rationales (e.g., 'haven't yet created a truly distinctive customer experience'), growth figures and 'innovation hub' claims, while omitting independent analysts, workers, or customer perspectives.
Sources (6)
FAQ
Amazon is closing them because it hasn't created a truly distinctive customer experience with the right economic model for large-scale expansion, despite encouraging signals.
Amazon is closing 57 Amazon Fresh stores and 15 Amazon Go locations, with February 1 as the last day except for California stores which will remain open longer.
Just Walk Out technology is now operating in over 360 third-party locations across five countries and more than 40 North American fulfillment center breakrooms, with further expansions planned for 2026.
Amazon plans to open more than 100 new Whole Foods Market stores, test a supercenter concept, and expand grocery delivery to 5,000 U.S. cities and towns, with some closed stores converting to Whole Foods.
Amazon is working to help affected team members find roles elsewhere within the company, including across its vast operations network.
History
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