The Exploitation of Food Delivery Workers in the Gig Economy: It’s Time for Change
We are putting more money in your pocket.
From April, millions of working people will get a pay rise.
— Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) February 4, 2025
Millions of food delivery workers across the UK are trapped in a cycle of exploitation, hidden behind the misleading label of “self-employment.” Despite recent announcements of pay rises and improvements in working conditions across various sectors, gig economy workers—especially those in food delivery—are left out. Their struggles go unnoticed, their voices unheard, and their rights ignored.
The Myth of Self-Employment
Platforms like Just Eat, Deliveroo, and Uber Eats claim their couriers are self-employed. But is this really the case?
- Shift Booking (Just Eat): Workers must book shifts in advance. For example, with Just Eat, the entire system revolves around shift booking. If a worker misses a shift, they face penalties such as losing access to future shifts. This restricts flexibility, as missing even one shift can severely affect their income.
- Penalties for Missed Shifts: Just Eat enforces strict rules where missing a booked shift can result in being blocked from booking others for days or even weeks.
- Order Acceptance Pressure: Rejecting too many orders reduces the chances of being matched with new ones. Workers feel forced to accept every job, regardless of distance or conditions, just to maintain their ranking on the platform.
Does this sound like the freedom of self-employment? Or does it resemble traditional employment—just without any of the protections?
The Illusion of Minimum Wage (Deliveroo)
Deliveroo claims that its riders earn the equivalent of the national minimum wage. However, this calculation is misleading because it’s based on per-job earnings, not actual hours worked.
For example:
- You could be waiting around for two hours without receiving an order.
- During that time, you earn nothing.
- You only get paid for the actual time spent on the delivery itself, not the time spent waiting.
So, while it may look like riders earn the minimum wage on paper, in real terms, they don’t experience it. The gaps between orders, often filled with unpaid waiting, drastically reduce their effective hourly earnings. This leaves many workers earning well below the national minimum wage when averaged out over a full shift.
Lack of Real Protections
While companies like Deliveroo and others offer some limited protections, such as basic illness cover, these fall far short of the benefits workers would receive if they were classified as employees. Gig economy workers are typically denied:
- Sick pay (beyond minimal coverage)
- Holiday pay
- Maternity or paternity leave
- Pension contributions
- Job security
This forces workers into dangerous conditions, riding in extreme weather, overworking to make ends meet, and facing constant financial stress. The pressure to accept every order, regardless of distance, safety, or personal circumstances, puts both physical and mental health at risk.
The Human Cost of Gig Economy Exploitation
Behind every delivery is a worker juggling multiple shifts, facing uncertainty about their income, and worrying about missing a shift due to illness. There’s no safety net—no fallback when things go wrong. If a worker is injured, they’re left without support. If demand drops, so does their income.
This isn’t flexibility. It’s exploitation.
A Call for Real Change
The current system is broken. It’s designed to benefit large corporations at the expense of hardworking people. It’s time to push for change.
Hopefully, with a vote for change by supporting @ReformParty, we can bridge the gap in this sector. This is an issue I am passionate about and committed to pushing for real reform.
Gig economy workers deserve:
- Fair pay
- Job security
- Basic employment rights
No one should work full-time and still live in poverty.
Let’s make sure their voices are heard.
#JustEat #Deliveroo #UberEats #GigEconomy #WorkersRights #ReformParty
