Amazon to Lay off Nearly 1,000 Philly Workers
Amazon to Lay Off Nearly 1,000 Philly Workers as Amazon Fresh Stores Close
Amazon has announced plans to lay off nearly 1,000 employees in the Philadelphia region as it shutters all six of its Amazon Fresh grocery stores. The layoffs, effective April 28, 2026, are part of a broader company strategy to focus on online grocery delivery and expand its Whole Foods Market footprint.
The affected stores include locations in Northern Liberties, Broomall, Bensalem, Langhorne, Warrington, and Willow Grove. According to a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) filing, the closures will impact 205 employees at the Northern Liberties store, 189 in Broomall, 161 in Bensalem, 157 in Langhorne, 144 in Warrington, and 127 in Willow Grove.
Amazon’s Statement
In a statement, Amazon explained the decision: “While we’ve seen encouraging signals in our Amazon-branded physical grocery stores, we haven’t yet created a truly distinctive customer experience with the right economic model needed for large-scale expansion. After a careful evaluation of the business and how we can best serve customers, we’ve made the difficult decision to close our Amazon Go and Amazon Fresh physical stores.”
The company added that it is “grateful to our team members for their many contributions over the years” and is working to help affected employees find roles elsewhere within Amazon. Those unable to transition will receive severance pay, health insurance benefits, and outplacement services.
Workers React
For many employees, the news has been devastating. Jasmine Jones, a cashier at the Northern Liberties location, shared her frustration: “We’ve worked hard to make these stores successful, and now we’re being told it’s not enough. It feels like we’re just numbers to them.”
Another worker, who wished to remain anonymous, expressed concern about finding new employment. “I’ve been here since the store opened. It’s not just a job—it’s been my livelihood. Starting over is going to be tough.”
This move follows a broader trend of layoffs at Amazon, with 16,000 employees companywide losing their jobs as part of a larger reorganization.
“I just hope they follow through on their promises to help us,” said Jones. “We deserve better after everything we’ve given to this company.”
