Amazon's Dash Button service arrives in the UK

Service allows customers to order items at the touch of a button

Amazon's Dash Buttons that let customers order everyday household items with the press of a button are now available in the UK.

The Dash button costs £4.99, but this is refunded with the first order. It is designed to make it easy to order basic common products, such as coffee, cleaning products and even dog food, via a button placed somewhere in the home.

A confirmation text message ensures that errant presses do not lead to a huge delivery of unwanted nappies, for example.

Major brands involved include Air Wick, Andrex, Ariel, Dettol, Finish, Gillette, Kleenex, Nicorette, Right Guard, Vanish, Whiskas and Wilkinson.

Daniel Rausch, director of Amazon Dash, explained that bringing the ordering system to the UK means that households need never run out of everyday essentials that are so often overlooked during the weekly shop.

"We've all experienced the frustration of running out of something we need. Dash Button and Dash Replenishment Service [DRS] are designed to make that moment a thing of the past," he said.

"Dash Buttons offer the convenience of one-click shopping from anywhere in the home. They can be placed near those frequently used items you don't want to run out of, and when you see supplies running low the Dash Button makes it easier than ever to order more. Just press the button and your item is on its way."

Amazon also announced that the cloud-based DRS is now available via a series of APIs so that retailers can build Dash functionality directly into products.

This could mean, for example, that a washing machine will contain a function to order more washing powder directly from the appliance.

Whirlpool has already confirmed that it will integrate DRS with the company's 6th Sense Live App. This is used to remotely monitor and control household appliances, and customers can now order key items directly from Amazon.

The arrival of the Dash button comes as part of the evolution of shopping, and shows that Amazon is confident that enough savvy digital shoppers out there are willing to use such relatively cutting-edge technology.