
Amazon has removed its own-label ready meal range, ByAmazon, from both Amazon Fresh stores and its online platform, replacing it with a selection of Morrisons’ The Best products.
The online giant, which operates 21 physical stores in the UK, all of which are located in London except for its Sevenoaks store in Kent, confirmed the withdrawal of the ByAmazon ready meal offering.
“Like all retailers, we continually review our range and test new selection with customers,” an Amazon spokesman told The Grocer.
The ByAmazon range offers everyday essentials such as milk, British meat, in-season produce, freshly prepared sandwiches, and meals. Amazon Fresh stores also feature a significant range of Morrisons products.
It is understood that Morrisons has been the supplier for the ByAmazon range, based on a supply agreement made in 2016 that saw Morrisons products sold on Amazon.co.uk.
The ByAmazon range saw significant growth in the past year, with new product categories such as cereals, pasta, baking ingredients, and confectionery, both online and in stores.
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“We are pleased with how our ByAmazon brand is performing and the response from customers,” said an Amazon spokesperson.
“We had a great Xmas, including winning awards for ByAmazon Mince Pies, ByAmazon Smoked Salmon, and Pigs Under Blankets Sandwich.”
However, PwC senior retail advisor Kien Tan wasn’t surprised by the move. He told The Grocer: “To be a credible grocery operator in the UK to provide a full grocery shop, you need an own-label offering in certain product categories, which Amazon does.
“But Amazon’s starting point is not just the stores; it’s also the fresh delivery offering,” Tan said. “In ready meals, there are very few branded offerings – it’s one of those categories that is very own-label heavy. But it’s hard to justify having that when it’s just not the sort of thing that people buy for online delivery.”
In November, Amazon opened a new Amazon Fresh store in West Hampstead, marking a year since its last UK store opening. The business launched its first UK Fresh store in Ealing back in 2021, its first physical retail location outside of North America.
While the online giant had initially planned to open hundreds of Fresh stores across the UK, the rollout has since slowed. Last year, it closed three Fresh stores in Ealing, Wandsworth, and East Sheen.
Earlier this month, Amazon Fresh introduced a £1 meal deal at its London locations, offering customers a main, snack, and drink from the retailer’s £3.90 meal deal range for just £1 until 31 January.
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