Uber Eats gives in and will subcontract riders

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The company has announced it will no longer use self-employed couriers in Spain

SUR

Friday, 16 January 2026, 13:34

Uber Eats has announced it will no longer use self-employed couriers in Spain, instead subcontracting thousands of riders directly. It was the only major multinational in the sector still operating this way after Glovo changed its model last summer and Just Eat fully complied with a new law when it came into effect. The move follows threats from the government to prosecute the company.

The so-called "rider law" was approved in 2021 after the government reached an agreement with unions and employers to regulate the status of workers delivering through digital platforms. Previously treated as self-employed, these riders are now recognised as employees under pioneering European legislation.