Amazon makes it easier to cancel Prime subscriptions – here's how

The shake-up follows similar changes to the internet giant's sites in France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain, and Sweden. It comes after the European Commission took action over concerns Amazon wasn't complying with EU consumer protection rules.

Amazon said it "continually listens to feedback" and "looks for ways to improve the customer experience", which is what it is doing following "constructive dialogue" with the European Commission.

Separately, the retailer is set to hike subscription prices for Prime subscribers from 15 September. Pay-monthly costs will rise by £1 a month, while those who pay annually will see a £16 a year increase. So now could be a good time to evaluate if your package is still worth it or not. 

See our 30+ Amazon buying tricks guide for more ways to save at the retailer including short-lived codes, a free delivery loophole and how to share Prime.

Cancelling now takes one less click

Here's how to cancel your monthly or annual Prime subscription:

• Using a web browser on desktop, tablet or mobile. From the Amazon homepage, select 'Account & Lists', then 'Your Prime Membership' and then 'End membership' (these initial steps haven't changed). At this point, you'll be shown a list of your current benefits. To proceed, click 'Continue to cancel' and, finally, the 'End On...' button to confirm the cancellation. 

• Using the Amazon app. Select 'Your account', then under 'Account Settings' tap 'Prime Membership', then 'Manage membership', then 'End membership'. Again, you'll be shown your current benefits – tap 'Continue to cancel' and then the 'End On...' button to finish.

Here's what the new, simpler two-step process looks like:

Amazon has tweaked the wording and removed a step from the process

Previously, the cancellation process required a minimum of five clicks, as you had to navigate a series of pages including a prompt to switch to monthly payments (or annual payments if you were a monthly subscriber).

Once you got to the 'End membership' page, you had to follow a three-step process, as shown below (the process was very similar across desktop, tablet and mobile devices, including the Amazon app):