Amazon is stepping up competition in the convenience and rapid grocery sector by expanding its Amazon Now service to more London locations and entering Manchester and Birmingham for the first time.
The online retail giant on Thursday announced plans to double its UK micro-fulfilment network from 10 sites later this year, enabling Amazon to offer 30-minute delivery of groceries and household essentials to more customers across the three cities.
"Amazon Now brings a new level of speed and convenience to customers, delivering thousands of groceries and household essentials in less than 30 minutes," said John Boumphrey, UK country manager at Amazon.
"It's the latest example of our commitment to faster delivery, building on the millions of items we already deliver the same or next day to customers across the UK."
The service is currently available in selected London postcodes through a network of micro-fulfilment centres located close to residential and urban areas, including sites in Southwark, Bethnal Green, Battersea, Lewisham, Hampstead, Notting Hill, Haringey, Walthamstow and Wembley.
Customers can order from thousands of products spanning 35 categories, including fresh produce, dairy, baby care, pet food, over-the-counter medicines and household essentials.
Orders are delivered using electric-assisted pedal bikes, with Amazon positioning the service as both fast and environmentally conscious.
The expansion reflects the growing importance of grocery and everyday essentials within Amazon's broader retail business. According to the company, groceries and household essentials now account for one in every three items ordered daily through its platform.
Amazon said its Everyday Essentials category, which includes groceries and household products, grew almost twice as fast as its other categories during early 2025.
The move forms part of Amazon's wider push to accelerate delivery speeds and increase convenience for shoppers, as competition intensifies across grocery retailing and rapid delivery. The business last year decided to close all 19 of its Amazon Fresh convenience grocery stores in the UK, saying it saw stronger growth opportunities in online delivery.
The expansion follows Amazon's recent commitment to invest £40 billion in the UK over the next three years, with the company saying the investment will create thousands of jobs and support further innovation across its operations.
More details on the rollout to Manchester, Birmingham and additional London locations are expected in the coming months.