Amazon is speeding up delivery times in the UK
Retail shopping giant Amazon says 2025 was its fastest year on record when it comes to UK deliveries, with major investments set to improve times even further in 2026.
The group reported that more than 1.6 billion items arrive the same or next day in the UK alone. Globally, more than 13 billion items arrived the same or next day. Prime members in the UK saved an average of over £200 over the period, when accounting for the cost of a membership vs expected delivery costs.
Some of the popular items delivered on the same day during the year included household essentials like coffee pods, oat drink, WaterWipes, toilet paper, and pet food, alongside health and wellness items including vitamin D3, magnesium, and omega-3 fish oil.
“Fast, reliable delivery makes a real difference to our customers’ everyday lives, particularly across our wide selection of groceries and household essentials,” said John Boumphrey, UK Country Manager at Amazon.
“That’s why we continue to invest and innovate to make Prime delivery even faster, placing products closer to customers so they can get what they need, when they need it.”
Some common and uncommon deliveries
Across the country, Prime deliveries arrived in record time — from an emergency rain poncho delivered in Birmingham in under two hours during a sudden downpour, to a tyre pump in Altrincham that got someone back on the road by lunch.
More people in Scotland ordered speedy deliveries of Irn-Bru than anywhere else, with Falkirk the most popular destination. Dog food was also a popular Same-Day order, with Lily’s Kitchen Wet Trays a top pick for locals in Aberdeen.
The global matcha trend of 2025 was especially big in Wales, with Heapwell Matcha Powder one of the most popular items delivered fast in Cardiff. Milk alternative was a top pick around the UK, with OatlyBarista Oat Drink especially popular with those in Brighton. Beauty products like Maybelline Sky High Mascara and Revlon Professional UniqOne Hair Treatment were popular fast deliveries for locals in Manchester and Liverpool, with health and fitness supplements regularly in Londoners’ shopping baskets.
Seasonal trends also influenced Prime deliveries, with a surge for wellness products and vitamins in January, to Allevia Hayfever Allergy Tablets in spring and Super Ninja Fruit Fly Traps in summer, to batteries and chocolates for Christmas gifting – with one shopper in Hale ordering and receiving a Star Wars Advent Calendar in under two hours from click to delivery.
Investments to speed up deliveries further
Amazon says it will continue to invest heavily in the UK and recently committed £40 billion over three years to expand and modernise its network. This includes continued investment and innovation to expand the online delivery of groceries and household essentials, with this area now representing one in three items ordered daily.
“Delivering packages faster isn’t a matter of moving faster within facilities or in transport, but through Amazon’s continuous innovation across its operations network – including placing products closer to customers, meaning they have less distance to travel and can get there quicker,” the group said.
Notably, Amazon recently launched Amazon Now – an ultra‑fast delivery service offering thousands of groceries and household essentials delivered using electric-assisted pedal bikes in approximately 30 minutes or less. The service is currently being tested in select postcodes in Southwark in London, with plans to roll out further in the coming months.
“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 of 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.”
Prime members get discounted Amazon Now delivery fees starting at just £1.99 per order (vs. £3.99 for non-Prime members). More news about the offering will follow in the coming months, the group said.
