Amazon has generated £684 million in revenue from the public purse since 2018, says GMB union

Taxpayer cash spent on Amazon rocketed to a record-breaking £222 million last year, a new report commissioned by GMB Union shows.

The amount of central government, local government and NHS money spent on the internet giant in the calendar year 2022 was £222 million – a rise of 69 per cent rise on the year before, and the highest figure on record.

The figures emerge as Labour Leader Sir Keir Starmer committed to public procurement coming with ‘terms and conditions’ such as union recognition at GMB’s annual congress in Brighton today [Tuesday]

In total, Amazon has generated £684 million in revenue from the public purse since 2018, according to research commissioned by GMB from Tussell, a data provider on public sector contracting and spending.

The highest expenditure was from HMRC, despite public concerns over Amazon’s tax record. The tax authority spent £228 million on Amazon over the last five years and provided 36 per cent of Amazon’s public sector revenue. HMRC was followed by the Home Office, which spent £189 million.

99 per cent of identifiable spending was on Amazon Web Services, the company’s lucrative internet hosting arm.

GMB members in Amazon Coventry are taking industrial action and fighting for GMB to become the first union in the UK to be formally recognised by the online retailer.

Gary Smith, GMB General Secretary, said, “Amazon is taking record breaking sums from the public purse at the same time that the company is refusing its own workers an independent voice.

“These are extraordinary sums of money when Amazon workers are having to go on strike for decent pay.

“If this amount of taxpayer cash is spent on a private company, the contract must come with guarantees on worker pay, health and safety and their right to be represented by formally recognised trade union.”