E-commerce giant Amazon is considering the launch of a grocery delivery service in France, further extending its food retail business in Europe.
In an interview with La Journal Du Dimanche, the company's managing director for France, Frédéric Duval, said that food has been an area of development since the launch of Amazon Fresh in the US in 2016.
However, he added that it may take some time until a similar service is available to French customers.
"We would of course like to launch this service in France, but everything in its time," he said. "A launch represents an investment."
Online Growth
Amazon has been steadily building its presence in France, and last month announced plans to create 2,000 new jobs in the country this year as it expands operations.
The online retailer first launched its Prime Now delivery service in Paris in June 2016, offering one-hour delivery on selected products.
However, since the company's acquisition of Whole Foods last summer, there has been speculation that Amazon is looking to expand its grocery business in Europe.
Although no deals have materialised between Amazon and any French retailers, a number of grocers have been linked to the online retail giant.
Earlier this year it was reported that Groupe Casino's Monoprix could be in talks with Amazon over a grocery delivery deal, while last week System U said that it was discussing a possible supply partnership with the company.
Grocery delivery service Amazon Fresh is currently available in parts of the US, UK, Germany, and Japan.
© 2018 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Sarah Harford. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: The European Supermarket Magazine.
