Amazon Business has launched COVID-19 Supplies store to help get critical medical supplies and PPE - such as digital thermometers, ventilators, facemasks and sanitisers - to the frontlines of the pandemic. By leveraging our expertise and infrastructure to find, distribute, and deliver these vital products, we hope to alleviate supply shortages as quickly as possible. In addition to the UK government, tens of thousands of healthcare and public sector organisations can now access the store across Europe.
We designed COVID-19 Supplies as a service for our communities and will not make a profit. So far, almost 6 million essential health and safety products (the data point has been updated with the latest figure) have been delivered by Amazon Business across Europe. Amongst the top ordered items in Europe are nitrile gloves, FFP2 masks, thermometers, and surgical masks. We are also waiving all standard referral fees for third-party sellers who supply products for this effort.
The COVID-19 Supplies store is now open to tens of thousands of organisations across Europe and more than 2,000 healthcare providers and government organisations have already been able to leverage Covid-19 Supplies, including the NHS and Stoke and Trent City Council.
Every product sold by Amazon through the store is checked for compliance with either EU technical requirements or EU safety standards. Products that do not meet these requirements will not be listed.
"We're using our expertise and global network of suppliers to source essential products for UK healthcare and public service organisations – who are all vital to safeguarding our communities and getting the country moving again," said Dave Brittain, Head of Amazon Business, UK. "The team has been working hard to help meet the needs of those on the frontline as quickly as possible and we’re humbled by the trust customers have placed in us during this challenging time".
We will continue to update the product selection in COVID-19 Supplies as hospitals, medical institutions and government organisations come to us with new requests for products in need.
“The demand we are seeing for essential products has been and remains high. We are continually investing in supplier recruitment and supporting small and medium-sized businesses to get necessary supplies delivered directly to those on the front line of the pandemic across Europe” said Patrick Reuther, Seller Services Director for Amazon Business Europe.
Industry-wide response
The Amazon Business COVID-19 Supplies store is part of industry-wide efforts to aid in the coronavirus response, following a call-to-arms from the UK Government. With more than a billion items of PPE already delivered to the frontline, millions more are expected over the coming months thanks to businesses across the country ramping up production and logistical support. Following is positive feedback from a customer on the frontlines:
“Our thanks go to Amazon for their support for the city during these challenging times. The Covid-19 supplies have been lifesaving for many and has been very much appreciated.”
Rt Hon Matt Hancock, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, said: “In continuing to tackle this global pandemic we outlined the need for a great national effort to ensure our frontline NHS and social care continue to have all the equipment they need.
“The support from businesses who accepted this challenge has been phenomenal. International demand for PPE has never been so high, and we are now working with over 1,000 businesses and establishing a British manufacturing base, which will see tens of millions of extra items of PPE delivered to the frontline in the coming weeks alone.”
The COVID-19 Supplies is available to eligible healthcare and government organisations in the following countries: France, Germany, Spain, Italy, United Kingdom, United States, India and Japan.
Find out more about Amazon’s actions to help employees, communities and customers during COVID-19.
