Amazon’s fastest delivery yet lands in London

Amazon now brown paper bag with groceries beside it

(Image credit: Amazon)

Amazon has officially entered the blink-and-you’ll-miss-it delivery race. The retail behemoth has launched Amazon Now, a new ultra-fast service promising to deliver thousands of groceries and household essentials in around 30 minutes or less, starting with a trial in select Southwark postcodes.

Available seven days a week via the Amazon app and website, Amazon Now offers a tightly curated selection of everyday staples across 35 categories.

Think milk, eggs and fresh fruit and veg, alongside nappies, pet treats, toothpaste, over-the-counter medicines and January-friendly essentials like protein snacks, vitamins and low- or no-alcohol drinks.

“Amazon Now brings a new level of speed and convenience to customers,” said John Boumphrey, UK Country Manager of Amazon, describing the service as the latest step in Amazon’s ongoing push to make deliveries faster and more flexible.

Prime members stand to benefit the most. Delivery fees start at £1.99 for Prime subscribers, compared to £3.99 for non-members, although a £2 surcharge applies to all orders under £15 regardless of membership. It’s another perk stacked on top of Prime’s existing same-day and next-day delivery options, plus its familiar streaming and shopping benefits.

Amazon says the speed boost isn’t about drivers going faster, but about placing products closer to customers, cutting down the distance items need to travel. It’s part of a wider investment in logistics that’s already seen Same-Day and One-Day Delivery rolled out across millions of items nationwide.

The move also reflects booming demand for essentials online. Amazon claims groceries and household items now account for one in three products ordered daily, with its Everyday Essentials category growing almost twice as fast as other areas in early 2025.

For now, Amazon Now is limited to parts of Southwark, but a wider London and UK rollout is expected in the coming months.

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Morgan got his start in writing by talking about his passion for gaming. He worked for sites like VideoGamer and GGRecon, knocking out guides, writing news, and conducting interviews before a brief stint as RealSport101's Managing Editor. He then went on to freelance for Radio Times before joining Shortlist as a staff writer. Morgan is still passionate about gaming and keeping up with the latest trends, but he also loves exploring his other interests, including grimy bars, soppy films, and wavey garms. All of which will undoubtedly come up at some point over a pint.

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