Amazon and Casino to roll out grocery delivery in France

US online retailer Amazon and French food giant Casino said Tuesday they would roll out their partnership in rapid delivery of groceries to further French cities in the coming months.

Last year members of Amazon's Prime Now service in Paris were able to order a selection of products from Casino's upscale Monoprix supermarkets for free delivery to their homes in under two hours.

Casino said in a statement that this service would now be offered in additional cities within the next 12 months, but did not specify the name or number of those cities.

They will also deepen their partnership by adding several thousand Casino label products and adding Amazon delivery lockers in 1,000 Casino group stores.

"With this new partnership, we will be able to offer the greatest number of customers the best products and services whenever and wherever they wish," Casino chief executive Jean-Charles Naouri said in the statement.

Grocery delivery in France has developed at a slower pace than in Britain and the United States.

But rival French supermarket chains, which often sell a selection of clothes, household goods and electronics in their larger stores, have recently begun stepping up delivery services for groceries as Amazon has expanded its service.

Agence France-Presse