MILAN, Italy: A string of court rulings against food delivery platforms in Italy has yet to significantly improve conditions for riders, who say alleged exploitation persists despite legal victories.

This week, Milan prosecutors placed the Italian arm of Deliveroo, owned by U.S.-based DoorDash, under judicial supervision and opened an investigation into its chief executive over allegations of worker mistreatment. The move followed similar proceedings launched two weeks earlier against Foodinho, the Italian arm of Spain's Glovo.

Delivery Firms Ordered to ‘Regularise' Workers

In both cases, prosecutors ordered the companies to "regularise" thousands of riders and comply with Italian labour rules.

Lawyers representing riders say companies have often sidestepped previous rulings by leaving the market, returning under new arrangements, paying fines, or benefiting from Italy's slow legal system.

Glovo, owned by Germany's Delivery Hero, advertises "flexibility, freedom, and competitive earnings" to prospective riders. But court documents and rider testimonies describe long hours and limited protections.

In a landmark 2020 ruling, Italy's Supreme Court found that riders working for Delivery Hero-owned Foodora were entitled to employee-type rights and protections, even if formally classified as self-employed.

Six years later, riders and their lawyers say little has changed. Some report longer waits for orders after changes to shift-booking systems, leaving them idle near restaurants for hours.

"Despite legal rulings, these companies (Glovo and Deliveroo) continue to offer self-employment contracts and payment by delivery," said Giulia Druetta, a lawyer who has represented riders for a decade.

"Many riders sleep on the streets of Milan between shifts because they can't afford rent in the city," she added.

Foodora exited Italy in 2018 but returned in 2022 when its parent company acquired a majority stake in Glovo.

Immigrants Without Documents

Deliveroo said it was reviewing the legal documentation and cooperating with investigators. Glovo said it would provide "all relevant facts and data, which will demonstrate how riders receive fair compensation that is fully compliant with all legal requirements."

Testimonies in the Glovo investigation include statements from immigrant riders, some without documentation. Prosecutors' findings in the Deliveroo case, seen by Reuters, include signed statements from 54 workers — mostly from Pakistan and Nigeria — who said they worked up to 17 hours a day, seven days a week.

"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," the decree said.

UberEats faced a similar probe in 2021 and left Italy two years later, citing business reasons.

Legal Challenges Across Europe

Food delivery firms have encountered similar legal challenges elsewhere in Europe.

Foodora has said it will exit Finland by the end of February following a 2025 Supreme Administrative Court ruling recognizing couriers as employees in a related case. Deliveroo left the Netherlands in 2022 after a comparable decision.

In Spain, Glovo said in 2024 it would begin hiring riders to comply with a 2021 law requiring employment contracts. Delivery Hero estimated a 100-million-euro hit to earnings.

No Sick Leave or Vacation

A 40-year-old woman from Turin who began working for Foodora in 2016 said the job's demands took a toll on her health.

"I cycled and cycled and cycled, and at a certain point I had an arrhythmia, and I realized something was happening, something I didn't like," she said, describing a health scare in 2024.

Classified as self-employed like Glovo's riders, she had no entitlement to sick leave or paid vacation. She continues to work for Glovo but limits her shifts, earning about 400 euros per month.