Amazon to raise Prime prices in Europe as retailer wrestles with costs

The logo of Amazon is seen at the company’s logistics center in Bretigny-sur-Orge, near Paris, France, December 7, 2021. REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes

NEW YORK, July 25 (Reuters) – Amazon.com Inc (AMZN.O) will raise fees for its delivery and streaming service Prime across Europe by 20% or more a year, the online retailer said on Monday, as it moves to counter higher costs days before it reports quarterly financial results.

The price hike, following one that Amazon announced for Prime in the United States in February, reflects mounting pressure from Wall Street on new Chief Executive Andy Jassy to shore up profit as inflation rises and a downturn looms.

Shoppers in Germany, Amazon’s second-biggest market after the United States, will see fees for an annual Prime membership rise 30% to 89.90 euros ($91.88). The retailer’s No. 3 market, the United Kingdom, will have a 20% increase to 95 pounds ($114.47) per year, while Amazon sites covering Spain, Italy and France will charge Prime members between 39% and 43% more yearly.

The changes take effect starting Sept. 15 when members join or next renew.

Amazon cited “increased inflation and operating costs” as well as faster delivery and more content to stream in statements on the price rises, the first since 2018 for some of the countries. “We will keep working to ensure Prime offers exceptional value for members,” it said.

Amazon is scheduled to release quarterly results on Thursday.

($1 = 0.9785 euro)

($1 = 0.8299 pound)

Reporting by Jeffrey Dastin in Palo Alto, Calif.
Editing by Matthew Lewis

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