Big decision of Amazon, more than 60 Fresh stores will be closed, thousands of employees will lose their jobs.

News India Live, Digital Desk: e-commerce giant Amazon In a historic shift in its retail strategy, Amazon Fresh And Amazon Go Official announcement has been made to close the stores. After this decision, thousands of employees working in different states of America have become unemployed. This move is being seen as the end of Amazon’s 6-year-old experiment, where the company tried to make a place in the physical grocery market through ‘cashier-less’ (Just Walk Out) technology.

1. How many stores were closed and where was it affected?

Amazon has confirmed that it will 72 physical stores (57 Amazon Fresh and 15 Amazon Go) are being closed permanently.

Biggest shock in California: More than 20 stores have been locked in California alone, causing nearly 3,900 employees Have been affected.

Last date: most stores 1 February 2026 are closed to the public, while California stores will remain open until mid-March due to local laws.

2. Scissors on thousands of jobs (Layoffs 2026)

This store closure is part of a larger layoff plan by Amazon.

30,000 laid off: In the last four months (from October 2025 to January 2026), Amazon has 30,000 corporate and retail positions It has been announced that it will be abolished.

Latest Round: On January 28, 2026, the company confirmed cuts of 16,000 additional jobs, primarily across AWS, Prime, and Retail divisions.

3. What is the reason behind closing the store?

According to Amazon spokesperson and reports, there are three main reasons for closing these stores:

Lack of profits: ‘Amazon Fresh’ and ‘Go’ stores failed to create a scalable economic model.

customer experience: The company admitted that it could not provide any ‘distinctive experience’ to customers through these stores that would differentiate them from other grocery stores.

Focus on Whole Foods: Amazon now gives its full attention Whole Foods Market (which it purchased in 2017). The company aims to open more than 100 new Whole Foods stores in the next few years.

4. What are the options for affected employees?

Amazon has given its employees two main paths:

Transfer: Employees are being encouraged to apply for open positions at Whole Foods or Amazon warehouses through an internal portal.

Severance Package: People who are leaving the company 90 days full salary and benefits (Will be given till April 28). After this, severance pay will be provided on the basis of tenure.

5. Leaning towards AI and automation

Amazon’s HR chief Beth Galetti has indicated that the company is now moving towards a more ‘Lean’ structure and increasing investment in AI and automation. The company believes that the future lies in online grocery and ‘same-day delivery’, not small physical stores.