A Game-Changer in Retail? Amazon buys Whole Foods

This is one of those corporate acquisitions that takes the breath away. Amazon's has agreed to acquire Whole Foods in a cash deal worth $13.7 billion.

Whole Foods Market is an US-based based grocery retailer with an emphasis on organic and natural food products.

This is Amazon getting into bricks and mortar retail in a big way and it represents a big challenge to giant retailers such as Walmart. The takeover bid gives Amazon stores but crucially it gives Amazon Founder and CEO Jeff Bezos a well-established and upmarket brand. Will Amazon apply their innovative app Amazon Go to the Whole Foods concept?

Naturally a deal this size will attract the interest of regulators.