Five Delivery Giants Flunk German Fairwork Test as Subcontracting Model Comes Under Fire
Veröffentlicht: 07.07.2026 um 09:24 Uhr, Redaktion boerse-global.de
Germany’s biggest food-delivery and rideshare platforms have received zero out of ten possible points in the latest Fairwork report covering the 2026 assessment period, with the study’s authors slamming a systemic reliance on subcontractors as the root cause of poor labour conditions. Lieferando, Wolt and UberEats were among the five of seven evaluated platforms that scored nothing, while only the grocery-delivery service Flink managed to stand apart by employing its riders directly.
Patrick Feuerstein, who leads the project, said the widespread use of subcontractors destroys transparency in employment relationships. He pointed to irregular work arrangements that lack written contracts and adequate insurance coverage, and noted that investigators found cases where workers were paid below the statutory minimum wage. The subcontracting model, Feuerstein argued, systematically enables companies to circumvent social standards.
The German findings expose how easily employment protections fall through the cracks. For UK businesses, a parallel risk lies in missing health-and-safety documentation — the kind that regulators check first. A free Health & Safety Toolkit provides ready-to-use risk assessments, checklists and toolbox talks that help employers meet their legal duties under the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974, COSHH and more. Download the free Health & Safety Toolkit
Politicians in Berlin have been wrestling with how to respond. The Bundestag held a debate on January 29 about tougher protective measures, including a general requirement for direct employment and a ban on opaque subcontracting chains. The motion now sits with the Committee for Labour and Social Affairs.
At the same time, the government is planning to revise Germany’s supply-chain due-diligence law (Lieferkettengesetz) so that only companies with at least 5,000 employees and €1.5 billion in annual turnover would be covered. Critics say the change would let roughly 95 percent of the businesses currently bound by the law off the hook.
Erfurt Logistics Hub to Close, 2,100 Jobs at Risk
Workers in traditional logistics are also facing upheaval. The Zalando logistics centre in Erfurt is set to shut on September 30, affecting 2,100 employees. A mediation board will meet on July 9 to negotiate a social plan. The works council has criticised the decision, noting that the company continues to spend heavily on acquisitions and share buybacks while slashing jobs at the site.
A broader sense of insecurity pervades the German labour market. The DGB’s “Good Work” index, covering the period 2022–2026, finds that 40 percent of all employees do not expect to be able to stay in their current occupation until retirement. In the care and trades sectors, that figure exceeds 70 percent.
Amid such uncertainty, UK employers can take one clear step to protect both their workforce and their business: getting their health-and-safety house in order. A free Health & Safety at Work Act 1974 Toolkit offers nine ready-to-use tools — including risk assessments, checklists and a director’s liability guide — that help companies comply with the law and avoid costly penalties. Download the free Health & Safety at Work Act 1974 Toolkit
New EU AI Rules and Digital-Services Crackdown Add Compliance Pressure
From August 2, additional obligations under the European Union’s AI Act take effect. Companies using high-risk AI systems in human-resources processes must now demonstrate that they have internal guidelines, AI registers and staff training in place.
Separately, the Federal Network Agency (Bundesnetzagentur) opened proceedings against eBay on July 6, alleging violations of the Digital Services Act. The regulator says the online marketplace failed to provide sufficient information when suspending user accounts, made arbitrary refund decisions, and did not properly trace traders. eBay has been given a deadline to respond.
