Online retail giant reportedly developing prototype of a futuristic store which could finally finish off the humble British cornershop. 

If you're a robot stealing somebody's job, it's best to stay hidden.

That's what Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos appears to be thinking, as his Seattle-based web giant has contemplated a two-story, automated grocery store in which a staff of robots on the floor upstairs grabs and bags items for shoppers below.

Reuters

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A photo of Amazon Go, the website's first physical shop

Reuters

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The tech giant's plans could have a devastating effect on the British high street

The ground level of the futuristic prototype — a supermarket-sized version of its recently unveiled "Amazon Go" convenience store, with a bigger layout that could span anywhere between 10,000 and 40,000 square feet — would be devoted to goods that shoppers typically like to touch, sources briefed on the plans told The New Post.

Those could include as many as 4,000 items, spanning fresh fruits and vegetables, eggs, meats and cheeses, and grab-it-and-go stuff like beer and wine, the sources said. Pharmacies might also might spring up at some of the high-tech locations, as Amazon looks to break into the lucrative sector, insiders said.

But for many, the most striking feature of the bigger stores is that they could operate with as few as three employees at a time. Sources said the plans call for staff to max out at 10 workers per location during any given shift.