Amazon Dash buttons finally launch in the UK

The buttons allow for 40 brands – including Whiskas, Ariel and Andrex – to be ordered with a single press

Amazon is finally launching its 'one-press' ordering button in the United Kingdom.

The Dash button, which first launched in the US in 2015, will make it possible for the company's customers to order any of 40 different brands by pressing the Wi-Fi enabled button. Fairy, Durex, and Pedigree are among the firms included in the service's national debut.

What is Amazon Dash?

The buttons allow ordering of products from their specific branded companies. Customers are urged to buy the plastic buttons and store them next to their fridge, toilets, and other appliances to allow quick re-ordering of commonly used lines.

Each button can order one product manufactured by its specific company, meaning those frequently using two separate products – for example, washing-up liquid and dishwasher tablets from Fairy – have to purchase multiple buttons or reset the product line through Amazon's app.

How much does Amazon Dash cost?

The buttons each cost £4.99 but, in line with the American launch, Amazon is offering a £4.99 discount on the first purchase made with each button – effectively removing the initial cost of the button. WIRED asked the company whether there are any financial incentives offered to the brands who have signed-up but Amazon refused to comment on its business workings.

The button is only available for those subscribing to Amazon's Prime service, which costs £79 a year. As well as benefitting from the company's streaming offering, members using the buttons will be able to have their button delivers delivered the next day.

In addition to the launch of Dash, Amazon is also rolling out its Amazon Dash Replenishment Service (DRS) to the UK. The cloud-based platform enables connected Internet of Things devices to automatically re-order their own supplies when they run low.

Amazon believes the automated service will allow customers not to worry about, or forget, having to order replacements for their home appliances. At present, the firm is working with Bosch, Siemens, Grundig, Samsung and Whirlpool to add their code to the connected products.

While Amazon says there are only ten lines of code for its DRS integration, the range of connected devices – washing machines, printers and dishwashers – is unlikely to seriously excite consumers. However, as the company builds a greater number of partnerships it is likely to bring in wider compatibility.

The Dash launch, coming long after expansion in the US, follows the company's position to test a number of its leading products and services in other countries before bringing them to the UK.

In June the firm launched its same-day grocery delivery service, AmazonFresh, in London. Available to Prime customers for £6.99, the Fresh deliveries allow customers to order any of 130,000 items and get them delivered to their door.

To help those ordering with AmazonFresh the company launched its Dash scanner, a handheld barcode reader, to quickly order products in July.

Which brands are included on Amazon Dash?

The full list of brands launching in the UK at Amazon Dash's introduction include:

Air Wick, Andrex, Ariel, Aveeno, Biona, Brabantia, BSN, Catsan, Cesar, Depend, Derwent, Dettol, Dreamies, DryNites, Durex, Fairy, Fairy Non-Bio, Fiesta, Finish, GBC, Gillette, Huggies, Johnson’s Baby, Kleenex, Lenor, Listerine, NERF, NESCAFÉ Dolce Gusto, Neutrogena, Nicorette, Nobo, Olay, Optimum Nutrition, Pedigree, Philips Sonicare, PLAY-DOH, Rexel, Right Guard, Rimmel, Rodial, Sheba simplehuman, The Breath Co., Vanish, Whiskas, Wilkinson and Wunderbrow.

This article was originally published by WIRED UK