LONDON, Feb 9, 2026, 22:39 GMT
- Tesco has picked up five ex-Amazon Fresh locations around London. These will reopen as Tesco Express outlets ahead of summer.
- The grocer plans to open over 70 more Express locations by March 2027, following 60 new stores that debuted last year.
- Amazon has dialed back its push into UK physical grocery retail, prompting the latest move.
Tesco is picking up five former Amazon Fresh locations in London, planning to relaunch them as Tesco Express outlets ahead of summer. The move adds to its broader push for more convenience stores, with the retailer aiming for 70-plus new Express sites by March 2027. Tesco opened 60 Express stores in 2025 and now operates just over 2,000 across the UK and Ireland. Shares barely budged in London.
Britain’s grocery battle has shifted to convenience. Fewer shoppers are filling up trolleys in one go; instead, quick top-up trips are on the rise, and that’s exactly the kind of rapid-fire, repeat spending retailers are after.
Convenience is now a £48.8 billion business, and the big names want a bigger slice—Sainsbury’s, Asda, Morrisons, Waitrose, all chasing the same ground, The Times said. That rush is making life tougher for independents, who can’t match the chains’ buying power and are feeling the squeeze from higher property costs.
Tesco has named former Amazon Fresh sites in Kensington High Street, Hounslow, Moorgate, Aldgate East, and Wembley, according to the company. It’s leaving other London locations under wraps for now, though more stores are slated to open by March 2027. “As we grow our store network we’re delighted to have the opportunity to serve even more people, in even more communities,” said Nick Johnson, Tesco’s group property director. City AM
Amazon made a splash in the UK grocery scene back in 2021, rolling out its first cashier-free store outside the U.S. Fast-forward to last September, and that bet was off: the company pulled the plug on all 19 Amazon Fresh locations in Britain, with five stores set to flip over to its Whole Foods Market banner. Now, Amazon’s putting its grocery muscle into online delivery and teaming up with retailers like Morrisons, the Co-op, and Iceland. “Now in terms of grocery, Amazon is very rarely mentioned as a serious competitor,” said Clive Black, head of consumer research at Shore Capital, in September. Reuters
Aside from snapping up five London sites, Tesco has mapped out new Express locations for Bickington in Devon, Pontrhydyrun in Torfaen, Strabane in County Tyrone, and Wallyford in East Lothian. Two full-sized stores are also coming to Scotland: Pitlochry and Heartlands are on the list. Late last year, Tesco’s “low carbon” superstore in Harrogate swung open its doors, generating about 120 jobs, according to Retail Systems. Retail Systems
Cashier-free stores promise shoppers the ability to grab what they want and leave, cameras and sensors tallying up the basket, charging accounts behind the scenes. Sleek concept on paper. But Amazon found little breathing room in a grocery market already crowded with compact storefronts.
Tesco is drawn by the lure of speed here. Snapping up shuttered sites lets the company sidestep the usual slog of scouting and outfitting brand-new stores in packed London neighborhoods, where prime spots don’t tend to stay vacant.
The larger wager? That shoppers keep coming back to small stores. Convenience outlets carry higher operating costs per item compared with big-box supermarkets outside town; it pays off only if foot traffic doesn’t let up.
Still, chasing convenience isn’t without risks. Expanding store counts drives up rent bills and payroll, while competitors often pile onto the same busy high streets—leaving everyone fighting for slim margins as customers keep a close eye on prices.
Tesco plans to have all five former Amazon locations running as Express stores ahead of the summer, picking up another chunk of UK grocery real estate as Amazon steps back.
