Spending with Amazon by universities increases

UK universities spent more than £63 million with Amazon over the last three years.

Yalda Keshavarzi reveals just how much universities are spending with Amazon.

24th April 2025

Amazon has long faced criticism for its systematic tax avoidance and exploitative business practices, yet it has aggressively expanded into institutional procurement through its Amazon Business accounts. We sought to determine whether taxpayer-funded universities were increasing their reliance on this ethically contentious company.

At the end of 2024 Ethical Consumer submitted freedom of information requests to 133 UK universities, asking for details of their spending with Amazon over the previous three financial years.

This research builds on a previous freedom of information request we conducted in 2022. 

The combined data show that 59% of universities have increased their spending with Amazon over the last three years, while 41% have reduced it.

Across the 92 universities that provided data, total spending with Amazon over the three years amounted to over £63 million. 

On average, university spending with Amazon was £267,558 annually each, though some institutions spent far more. In 2024 alone, the University of Sheffield spent £1.51 million, making it the highest spender, followed by University College London, the University of Liverpool, and the Open University.

The role of Amazon Business and Amazon Web Services

Amazon Business accounts have gained traction within higher education institutions, providing universities with streamlined purchasing options and volume discounts. However, this convenience comes with ethical concerns, as it further embeds Amazon within institutional procurement systems. Based on responses to our FOI requests, 62% of universities reported having an Amazon Business subscription in 2024, up from 54% in 2021.

The growing use of Amazon Web Services (AWS) appears to be contributing to increased university expenditure at some institutions. 

However, some procurement professionals suggest that universities may view AWS as distinct from Amazon’s other business operations, seeing its risks around labour rights and sustainability as less immediately visible. Given that other cloud service providers, such as Microsoft and Google, also engage in tax avoidance, they argue that AWS does not present unique concerns beyond those of its competitors.

Yet, choosing to set up an Amazon Business account is ultimately a conscious decision – an endorsement of the company as a whole, despite well-publicised concerns about its labour practices and tax policies. 

Dr. Michael Rogerson of the University of Sussex Business School commented:

"I can see the case for AWS, but the further from that universities get – especially when it comes to things like vouchers – the less justifiable it is. If we are institutions which want to have a positive impact on our stakeholders and societies, we should be doing much better than this."

Criticism of Amazon

As well as tax avoidance, Amazon’s practices have ripple effects far beyond its own business operations. 

In the past year it has come under fire for reports of union-busting tactics, with employees also citing unsafe working conditions across the globe. It has also been criticised for increased shipping emissions, and the revelation that it destroyed millions of unsold goods, including electronics and books, in the UK alone. 

For these and other reasons, Amazon's climate pledges were dropped by the UN-backed Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi). 

For universities, many of whom claim to have developed 'sustainable procurement' programmes, Amazon appears to be a strange partner to appear in a sustainable suppliers list.

Research findings: spend increasing

Our latest research from the subset of universities providing data across our six years of research, confirms Amazon spending among universities is continuing to rise. 

Between 2019 and 2024, total procurement spend with Amazon increased sharply, with a particularly notable jump in 2022. 59% of universities responding reported an increase in their total Amazon procurement spend between 2022 and 2024.

Despite ongoing concerns around ethics, labour practices, and environmental impact, some institutions saw dramatic surges, with six universities increasing their spend by over 200% over the last three years (2021-22 to 2023-24).

(Rounded up to nearest percent)

Regionally, the data reveals stark contrasts: while some regions have remained stable or even reduced their Amazon expenditure, others have seen a sharp rise.

Regional analysis reveals that certain areas are driving this growth. The West Midlands, East of England, Yorkshire and Humber and London, have experienced the largest increases in Amazon spending, while other regions have remained stable or, in the case of Wales, have even seen a decline. This raises important questions about procurement strategies and whether universities in these high-spending regions are doing enough to explore ethical alternatives.

Growing trend for Amazon vouchers at universities

Universities are also habitual users of Amazon vouchers. They are routinely used to incentivise student participation in research projects or engagement initiatives. What may appear to be a small choice, is in reality, an endorsement of a supplier and their ethical framework – in particular when other multi-retailer voucher schemes are in existence. 

The graph below illustrates the total Amazon voucher spending by universities over the past six years:

Rise in AWS spending

Among the most striking revelations in our research is the scale of AWS spending. 

The University of Leicester, for example, stands out with over £1 million in AWS spending, facilitated through Strategic Blue, a procurement specialist. The University of Sheffield, the highest spender by value in 2024, also appears on Strategic Blue’s page. The depth of AWS’s integration poses critical concerns beyond cost optimisation. As Amazon’s most profitable division, AWS directly funds the company’s tax avoidance strategies and exploitative labour practices.

University College London (UCL) is also deepening its ties with AWS, publicly celebrating its collaboration with Amazon to accelerate digital innovation. UCL stated:

“UCL and AWS are continuing to collaborate on the Centre and are now exploring new and bigger ways of working together, including opportunities to collaborate globally.”

Beyond financial implications, reliance on AWS also raises issues of data sovereignty and privacy. Universities are custodians of sensitive information, yet storing such data on globally operated platforms introduces potential security and privacy issues. 

In the past year, Amazon was fined $30 million in the US for failing to delete data collected from children’s Alexa devices and improperly storing sensitive user voice recordings. This tension underscores the need for institutions to evaluate not only the cost-effectiveness of cloud services but also their broader ethical and operational considerations.

Questions around governance and oversight

As universities deepen their reliance on Amazon’s services, Ethical Consumer’s research prompts critical questions about governance and oversight. Why do some universities prioritise cost-efficiency over ethical commitments? Are procurement processes robust enough to ensure alignment with institutional values? The increasing use of intermediaries like Strategic Blue further complicates these questions, highlighting a need for greater scrutiny and transparency in procurement practices.

The University of Leicester, for instance, ranked first in the UK for Goal 16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions) in the 2024 Times Higher Education (THE) Impact Rankings, which promotes responsible governance. Yet its substantial AWS spend seems at odds with this recognition.

The University of Edinburgh and other high Amazon-spending institutions have sustainability procurement programmes, that make no substantial mention of tax justice, despite funnelling millions into a corporation with a well-documented history of tax avoidance.

What alternatives to Amazon are available to universities?

As mentioned in our 2022 report, a government organisation called Crown Commercial Services (CCS) runs a 'tail spend solution' designed to provide alternatives for public sector procurement. Two suppliers, which run similar online buying services to Amazon, that have been awarded contracts under the framework – Unite and Paragon – had to meet official sustainability standards and prove that their services benefit “society and the economy, while minimising damage to the environment.”

Looking forward

Our findings underscore the need for universities to reassess their relationships with Amazon. While digital transformation is essential for modern education, fair practice and ecological impacts need to be considered. Institutions should seek a balance between operational needs and their commitments to creating equitable and responsible futures.

As more universities explore alternatives, such as local suppliers or co-operative models, the question remains: will they seize the opportunity to lead by example? The choices made today will define not only the trajectory of higher education but also its role in championing ethical practices in a rapidly changing landscape.

More information on our Freedom of Information research

Of the 133 universities we contacted in 2024, only 66% (88) responded with data on their Amazon spending. 17 institutions either refused to provide any information or failed to respond. Some cited challenges such as staff shortages or administrative capacity issues for their limited responses, reflecting the broader pressures faced by the sector.

Only 33 universities provided figures across the 6 years allowing us to draw out trends and comparisons.

Full details of the results of the Freedom of Information request for each university's spend can be downloaded as a spreadsheet.

Amazon campaign

We have a range of articles and resources about Amazon, its considerable tax avoidance strategies, greenwashing, poor working conditions and anti-union stance, on our main Ethical Consumer website.

Find out more

• Amazon company profile and rating score out of 100
• Details about the main reasons we recommend avoiding Amazon
• Estimates of its current tax avoidance costs to the UK public purse (£433m)