Finance
Deliveroo's Italian arm placed under supervision over alleged labour exploitation
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on February 25, 2026
3 min readLast updated: February 25, 2026
Tags:Gig Economy
Quick Summary
Milan prosecutors put Deliveroo’s Italian arm under judicial supervision, appointing an administrator to regularise riders and enforce labour rules. Files cite €3–€4 per delivery and shifts up to 17 hours, seven days a week.
Deliveroo Italy Put Under Supervision Amid Alleged Labour Exploitation
By Emilio Parodi
Judicial Supervision and Allegations
MILAN, Feb 25 (Reuters) - Milan prosecutors have placed the Italian arm of food delivery platform Deliveroo under judicial supervision and its chief executive under investigation for alleged exploitation of workers, judicial documents seen by Reuters showed on Wednesday.
Ownership and Company Response
A Deliveroo spokesman was not immediately available for comment. The firm is owned by U.S. meal delivery company DoorDash, which acquired it last year for about 2.9 billion pounds ($3.92 billion).
Recent Action Against Glovo
The legal action comes just two weeks after Italian prosecutors launched similar proceedings against the local arm of Spanish delivery service Glovo.
Administrator’s Mandate
In the latest case, the prosecutors appointed a judicial administrator to oversee the company to "regularise" its workers and to monitor compliance with labour rules and conditions.
Rider Workforce Scale
Prosecutors said in a 60-page document seen by Reuters that Deliveroo Italy had around 3,000 so-called "riders" in the Milan area and around 20,000 throughout Italy working for the company.
Employment Status Findings
They said the cycle couriers were formally self-employed but in practice worked as employees, because they were managed through an IT platform that determined their working conditions.
Working Hours and Pay
WORKING SEVEN DAYS A WEEK, UP TO 17 HOURS A DAY
According to the decree served by a police labour unit, Deliveroo riders were paid below the poverty line, averaging between 3 euros and 4 euros ($3.53-$4.71) gross per delivery. Transport and equipment were at the expense of the riders.
ISTAT Poverty Thresholds
National statistics bureau ISTAT set the poverty threshold for a single worker in 2024 at some 730 euros a month, while for a couple living together it was 1,218 euros.
Pay vs Contracts
In some cases, the pay for Deliveroo riders "was up to about 90% below the poverty threshold and collectively bargained contracts", the prosecutors wrote.
Worker Testimonies
The decree listed signed statements from 54 workers, almost all immigrants from Pakistan and Nigeria.
Reported Daily Hours
All of them said on record that they worked between 10 and 17 hours a day, seven days a week, with earnings barely enough to pay for a shared room, cover their food requirements and send some money to families back home.
Prosecutors’ Assessment
"The checks carried out point to a situation of genuine labour exploitation, perpetrated for years to the detriment of a very large number of workers, who receive pay that is disproportionate to the quantity and quality of the work performed," prosecutors wrote.
"This illegal situation must be brought to an end as soon as possible, also because it involves a significant number of workers who live on earnings below the poverty line."
Wider Crackdown in Italy
The operation was the latest step in a wider crackdown in Italy on labour exploitation in a variety of business sectors over the past three years.
Exchange Rate Note
($1 = 0.8487 euros)
(Reporting by Emilio Parodi, editing by Giselda Vagnoni and Crispian Balmer)
Key Takeaways
- •Milan prosecutors placed Deliveroo’s Italian arm under judicial supervision and opened a probe into its CEO over alleged labour exploitation.
- •A court-appointed administrator will oversee compliance, regularise riders and monitor working conditions.
- •Documents cite rider pay averaging €3–€4 per delivery, with costs like transport and equipment borne by workers.
- •Testimonies describe shifts of 10–17 hours, seven days a week; around 3,000 riders operate in Milan and about 20,000 across Italy.
- •Action follows similar proceedings against Glovo; Deliveroo is owned by DoorDash after a £2.9bn acquisition in 2025.
Frequently Asked Questions about Deliveroo's Italian arm placed under supervision over alleged labour exploitation
1What is the main topic?
Milan prosecutors placed Deliveroo’s Italian unit under judicial supervision over alleged labour exploitation, appointing an administrator to regularise riders and ensure compliance with labour laws.
2What does judicial supervision mean for Deliveroo Italy?
A court-appointed administrator will oversee operations, require the company to regularise riders’ status, and monitor pay and working conditions to ensure adherence to Italian labour rules.
3How were riders allegedly exploited?
Judicial papers cite average pay of €3–€4 per delivery, with riders covering transport and equipment, and testimonies of 10–17 hour shifts, seven days a week, below poverty thresholds.
4How does this relate to other platforms?
The move mirrors recent actions against Glovo’s Italian arm, reflecting a broader Italian crackdown on labour exploitation in the gig economy.
