8 in 10 couriers don’t feel safe
Food delivery workers say they get abused on regular basis in study
Eight out of 10 food delivery couriers in Scotland feel “unsafe” at work but carry on out of financial necessity, a study has found.
The study, led by HeriotWatt University in Edinburgh, surveyed 207 grub workers and found more than 60 per cent had experienced racial or ethnic abuse, while 55 per cent had suffered physical abuse, largely as a result of incidents while on the road.
The two-year report also found that every single one of the 33 women surveyed said they had experienced sexual harassment or abuse while at work.
Dr Pedro Mendonca, who led the study, said: “Our findings shed light on the reality food delivery couriers have to confront on a daily basis.
“A significant number of the workforce are migrants who face multiple barriers as well as daily abuse, and a lack of opportunities to find alternative employment in safer environments.
“It’s imperative to understand the nuanced reality in this sector so that we can address challenges and ensure equal protection for all workers.”
One food delivery courier said in the report: “I’m constantly being threatened by people, not only customers but on the road.
“It’s like they see a guy with a delivery bag and they constantly give me grief.”
Roz Foyer, general secretary of the Scottish Trades Union Congress, called for more protection for delivery couriers.
She said: “This report shines a light on the galling abuse suffered by food delivery couriers which cannot be allowed to go unchecked.
“To read that all women surveyed had experienced sexual harassment or abuse, with 81 per cent of couriers overall feeling fundamentally unsafe in their work, is inexcusable and requires urgent action from government.
“These workers need protection.”
The study, named Fair Gig Work: A review of Employment Practices in the Scottish Food Delivery Work 2024, was funded by the Royal Society of Edinburgh, and also involved researchers from Strathclyde University and Nottingham Trent University.
Findings shed light on reality couriers are facing DR PEDRO MENDONCA, Study lead author