Amazon will raise the price of its Prime membership in Europe in September by up to 43 percent annually. In an email to customers overnight, Amazon revealed that its annual Prime cost will rise by 20 per cent in the UK from £79 to £95 from 15 September. In France, the increase in prices is even more pronounced, going from 49 euros per year to 69.90 euros, a 43 percent increase.
Amazon will also increase prices in Spain and Italy by 39 percent annually, and the company’s second largest market, Germany, will see a 30 percent annual increase. The price increases for Amazon’s Prime in Europe come just months after the price of Prime in the United States increased to $139 per year, up from the previous $119 annual fee. Amazon Prime usually includes fast shipping, access to sales, and free movie/TV streaming in most markets.
Amazon is also increasing the monthly cost of Prime in European markets, by £1 or €1 per month. Monthly rates do not include the discount that applies to annual subscriptions, and Amazon’s increases show that most households subscribe annually. Here are the annual price increases for Amazon Prime in Europe:
- UK: £79-£95, a 20% increase.
- France: from 49 to 69.90 euros, an increase of 43 percent
- Germany: from 69 to 89.90 euros, an increase of 30 percent
- Italy: from 36 to 49.90 euros, an increase of 39 percent
- Spain: from 36 to 49.90 euros, an increase of 39 percent
This is also the first increase for Amazon Prime in the UK, Amazon’s third-largest market behind the US, since 2014. Amazon is very popular in the UK, and market research firm Kantar says more 50 percent of households have an Amazon Prime subscription.
Reuters reports that Amazon blames the price increases on “rising inflation and operating costs.” The announcement of the price change comes just days before Amazon reports its second quarter results. Amazon posted its first quarterly loss in seven years last quarter, and the company blamed some of the loss on rising fuel, transportation and storage costs.