Glovo and Deliveroo Italy Face Antitrust Rider Claims Probe

In Short

Italy’s antitrust authority has opened investigations into Glovo and Deliveroo in Italy over alleged misleading statements about how riders are treated.

What Happened

Regulators said they are looking at whether Glovo and Deliveroo’s Italian arms presented consumers with an overly positive picture of rider treatment.

The authority said the claims appeared in public materials like codes of ethics and “about us” website pages. The concern is that these statements may not match reality, especially around riders’ working conditions, legal compliance, and how algorithms are used.

Algorithms are software rules that can decide things like which rider gets which delivery and how pay is calculated, similar to an automated manager.

Italian officials, supported by the financial police, carried out inspections at offices linked to Glovo’s Italy operations, including Foodinho and Glovo Infrastructure Services, and at Deliveroo Italy.

Both companies said they are cooperating with the investigation. Glovo’s unit said it operates to high internal standards and complies with laws and regulations. Deliveroo’s Italian arm said it will engage transparently with authorities and says it operates responsibly and within the law.

Why It Matters

This probe is part of wider scrutiny in Italy of food delivery and last-mile gig work. The sector has grown fast, but it keeps running into legal and regulatory pressure around worker classification, working rights, and the role of algorithmic management.

For platform businesses across Europe and Africa, the case is a reminder that marketing and public ESG messaging, meaning claims about ethics and social responsibility, can trigger regulator attention if they are seen as inconsistent with day-to-day operations.

It also raises the bar for how delivery apps explain rider protections, pay practices, and automated decision systems to customers, not just to workers and regulators.