Deliveroo

France's Court of Cassation on October 6, 2026 upheld the 2022 criminal conviction of former Deliveroo France executives for 'travail dissimule' (concealed/undeclared work), finding couriers between 2015-2017 had a 'permanent legal subordination relationship' with the company that made them employees despite being classified as independent contractors. Deliveroo France was fined the maximum €375,000, ordered to pay €50,000 to five trade unions and €1,200-3,000 each to 100+ affected couriers, and French tax authority URSSAF separately demanded €9.7 million in unpaid social security contributions. It is the first criminal conviction of a food-delivery platform in France for labor law violations. Deliveroo said it 'categorically contests' the ruling.

A Milan preliminary investigations judge (GIP) upheld a prosecutor's request to place Deliveroo's Italian subsidiary under judicial administration, finding that roughly 20,000 riders were paid around €3-4 per delivery (about €1,000/month) while working 10-17 hours a day, seven days a week - wages prosecutors said left riders up to 90% below the poverty line and violated the Italian Constitution's guarantee of a dignified wage. A judicial administrator was appointed to regularize riders' status. Deliveroo said it believes its operations are fully compliant with Italian law. The order followed a similar action against Glovo's Italian unit Foodinho weeks earlier.

Before a rider strike on February 2, 2024, Deliveroo emailed partner restaurants urging them to call police and 'request they clear individuals from the location' if riders were 'loitering' or engaging in 'anti-social behaviour.' A subsequent Valentine's Day strike was met by 15 officers and 4 police vans. IWGB union called the language 'deliberately inflammatory.'

The UK Supreme Court ruled that Deliveroo riders are self-employed independent contractors who cannot be legally classified as 'workers' under UK trade union law. The ruling denied riders access to collective bargaining rights the IWGB union had sought since 2017. This despite research finding one-third of riders earned below minimum wage, with some working 80-hour weeks.

Deliveroo and the GMB union entered into a voluntary partnership agreement covering more than 90,000 riders. While acknowledging riders as self-employed contractors, the agreement gave GMB rights to bargain collectively on pay and to be consulted on benefits and safety issues. This was a positive step despite the company's legal victories against worker classification.