Amazon expands Morrisons range as it beefs up grocery deliveries
Amazon today said it will offer the full range of Morrisons products for delivery as the ecommerce giant ramped up its presence in the UK grocery market.
The strengthened deal means Morrisons customers will be able to do their full shop through the main Amazon website.
Amazon Prime customers will be offered free same-day delivery on orders over £40.
The service launches today in Leeds and will be rolled out to millions more customers over the coming weeks.
Amazon and Morrisons first joined forces in 2016, when the Silicon Valley tech giant began selling fresh, chilled and frozen food made by the supermarket chain.
The two companies then expanded the deal to offer same-day delivery in selected areas through the Prime Now app.
But the latest move means customers will have access to the full Morrisons range, and marks further expansion by Amazon into food sales.
“The launch of Morrisons on Amazon means increased visibility for Morrisons’ incredible service and selection, as well as an even greater choice for our customer,” said Doug Gurr, head of Amazon UK.
Online grocery sales have grown steadily in recent years and now account for 13.5 per cent of the total market, according to new figures from Kantar.
“This will be a real boost for Morrisons’ business, although it remains to be seen exactly how the fulfilment model i.e. assume they are using their own infrastructure rather than Amazon’s delivery network — will match up to the proposition,” said Andy Halliwell, retail analyst at Publicis Sapient.
“It’s another demonstration that online grocery is a very big focus for consumers right now, and is looking like one of the only highlights in a challenged retail landscape.”
The move comes days after Tesco announced it will introduce free delivery in a bid to stave off pressure from Amazon.
Boss Dave Lewis said the supermarket will add free delivery to its Clubcard Plus loyalty scheme.