Amazon halts UK grocery store rollout

Amazon has stalled its plans to open hundreds more Amazon Fresh stores in the United Kingdom, due to disappointing sales at its first 19 check-out free shops.

Soaring energy costs and growing grocery bills have made UK customers cut back on their spending.

Late last month, Amazon said its online sales had shrunk for the second quarter in a row, down by 4 percent, although its revenues overall rose by 7 percent, to 102 billion ($121 billion).

The company's first UK grocery store opened in April 2021 and uses high-tech solutions to give shoppers the choice of leaving the store and paying without using a checkout.

A spokesman for Amazon said: "We look forward to opening additional Amazon Fresh stores in the near future."

Video by Han Jing.