Amazon plans to increase European Amazon Prime prices in September, it has been announced.
Currently, an Amazon Prime membership in the UK costs just £7.99 a month or £79 a year, a price that has stayed the same since 2014. With Prime, Amazon customers get access to a range of membership benefits including free next-day delivery and access to a range of TV shows, movies, and Prime Originals like The Boys and The Terminal List on Prime Video.
That monthly price will now be going up by £1 to £8.99, and the annual cost will jump up to £95 a year. The new price will be in place from September 15 and will apply to any new customers or will be applied at the next date of your membership renewal if you are already an Amazon Prime member. At these new price points, an annual subscription saves you just under £13 a year over paying the monthly membership fee.
Prices in Europe are set up to jump up even more. In France, the annual price is going up by 43% from €49 per year to €69.90; Italy and Spain will see a 39% annual increase (€36 to €49.90), whilst Germany will see a 30% rise (€69 to €89.90) in the same period, with monthly rates increasing by €1 a month across the board.
Amazon said the price increase comes after they have made a range of improvements to the current Amazon Prime offering.
In a statement to customers, an Amazon spokesperson said: "This is the first time we have changed the price of Prime in the UK since 2014. During this time, we have significantly increased the number of products available with unlimited, fast Prime delivery; added and expanded ultra-fast fresh grocery delivery; and added more high-quality digital entertainment, including TV, movies, music, games, and books. Prime Video in particular has increased the number of TV series and movies on offer, including Amazon Originals, as well as live sports coverage, such as the Premier League and Autumn Nations Series."
This move comes just months after Amazon increased the US Amazon Prime price by 17% back in March. Prices went up from $12.99 a month or $119 a year to $14.99 a month and $139 annually.
The price increase comes just The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power launches on Prime Video—which reportedly cost Amazon upwards of $1 billion to bring to life—and just as Amazon has further expanded its sports broadcasts by successfully grabbing the rights to screen Tuesday night Champions League football matches from 2024.
