In September, Amazon will increase the cost of its Prime membership by up to 43% annually throughout all of Europe. Amazon disclosed its yearly Prime price will increase 20% in the UK starting on September 15 from £79 to £95 in an email sent to users overnight. The price rise in France is much more severe, rising from €49 to €69.90 a year, or a 43 percent increase.
A 39 percent yearly price increase will also be implemented by Amazon in Spain and Italy, while a 30 percent increase will be implemented in the company’s second-largest market, Germany. Just a few months ago, Amazon raised the cost of Prime in the US from $119 to $139 a year. Now, the company is raising the price of Prime in Europe. Fast shipping, access to sales, and free movie/TV streaming are often included with Amazon Prime in most areas.
In European nations, Amazon is also raising the monthly price of Prime by £1 or €1. The yearly membership discount is not included in the monthly pricing, although it is obvious from Amazon’s price hikes that the majority of families subscribe yearly. These are the annual pricing hikes for Amazon Prime in Europe:
- UK – £79 to £95, a 20 percent increase
- France – €49 to €69.90, a 43 percent increase
- Germany – €69 to €89.90, a 30 percent increase
- Italy – €36 to €49.90, a 39 percent increase
- Spain – €36 to €49.90, a 39 percent increase
Additionally, this is the first Amazon Prime price hike since 2014 in the UK, Amazon’s second-largest market after the US. In the UK, Amazon is very well-liked, and according to market research company Kantar, more than 50% of homes have an Amazon Prime membership.
According to Reuters, Amazon attributes the price hikes to “rising inflation and operations costs.” Just a few days before Amazon is scheduled to release its Q2 earnings results, a price change announcement is made. Last quarter, Amazon reported its first quarterly loss in seven years. The firm attributed a portion of the deficit on higher expenses for shipping, gasoline, and warehouse storage.