Amazon in Milton Keynes. Credit: Stephen Dewhurst, Shutterstock
Amazon has announced a massive £40 billion (€47.2 billion) investment in the UK over the next three years, with the aim of opening four new warehouses and creating thousands of jobs across the country, according to reports.
The online retail giant confirmed it will open two new fulfilment centres in the East Midlands by 2027. The exact locations of these future sites have not been disclosed.
Amazon’s £40bn plan isn’t just about warehouses. The company will also:
- Expand its Shoreditch HQ in east London with two new buildings
- Upgrade delivery stations and transport infrastructure
- Invest further in Bray Film Studios in Berkshire
- Boost its data centres, drone tech, and Prime streaming service
- Enhance staff wages and benefits
Much of the funding includes the £8bn (€9.38 billion) already earmarked for UK data centres in 2024.
“Major win” for UK economy
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer welcomed the news, calling it “a massive vote of confidence in the UK as the best place to do business.”
“It means thousands of new jobs – real opportunities for people in every corner of the country to build careers, learn new skills, and support their families,” said Starmer, as quoted by Sky News.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves also said the investment was a “powerful endorsement of Britain’s economic strengths.”
Amazon’s CEO Andy Jassy highlighted the company’s focus on expanding beyond the capital, “When Amazon invests, it’s not only in London and the South East – we’re bringing innovation and job creation to communities throughout England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.”
The firm already employs around 75,000 people in the UK, making it one of the country’s largest private employers.
Despite the scale of the investment, Amazon continues to face criticism. Regulators and unions have long raised concerns about conditions in Amazon’s warehouses – claims which the company denies. This month, in France, Amazon was fined by Watchdog €32 million for using a secret algorithm to monitor staff performance to the nearest second.
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