Amazon expands same-day deliveries to include perishable goods

USA – Amazon is widening its same-day delivery service to cover fresh and frozen groceries as it seeks to compete more directly with Walmart+ and Instacart.

The company announced on Wednesday that Prime members can now receive items such as strawberries, milk, meat, and frozen dinners on the same day they are ordered.

The expansion is currently available in more than 1,000 US cities, including Phoenix, Raleigh in North Carolina, and Tampa in Florida, with plans to reach 2,300 locations by the end of 2025.

In June, Amazon revealed plans to spend US$4 billion to extend same-day and next-day delivery services to over 4,000 rural US communities before the year ends.

Until now, grocery orders for Prime subscribers were fulfilled through Amazon Fresh or Whole Foods, but the updated service will use the company’s same-day logistics sites.

Prime members, who pay US$14.99 a month or US$149 a year, will not be charged extra for same-day grocery deliveries on orders above US$25.

Walmart+, which costs US$98 a year, also provides same-day deliveries, often in less than three hours and in some cases within 30 minutes.

Walmart remains the largest grocery retailer in the US, and its deliveries cover both dry goods and perishables.

In May, Walmart stated that it would soon be able to deliver within three hours to 95% of the US population, citing faster speeds as a factor in growing its business.

The retailer reported a 91% year-on-year increase in deliveries completed in under three hours between February and April 2025.

Doug Herrington, chief executive of Worldwide Amazon Stores, said customers can now combine groceries with other purchases, such as electronics, books, or household tools, in a single order for rapid delivery.

The move demonstrates Amazon’s ongoing efforts to strengthen its grocery business in the US, an area where it has previously faced challenges attracting customers to its physical stores.

While it pushes forward domestically, Amazon is also dealing with supply chain issues in the UK, according to findings from the Groceries Code Adjudicator.

The company has not disclosed how the expanded perishable delivery service will affect its existing Amazon Fresh and Whole Foods operations.

However, industry analysts note that the development puts Amazon in more direct competition with major grocery players offering fast-turnaround delivery.

Sign up HERE to receive our email newsletters with the latest news and insights from Africa and around the world, and follow us on our WhatsApp channel for updates