GMB Union Challenges Deliveroo Over Autonomous Robot Rollout

The robots, provided by US-based Coco, are intended to handle grocery and takeaway deliveries during off-peak hours. Deliveroo maintains that this technology complements human couriers rather than replacing them. The trial, which spans several UK locations including Canary Wharf, Milton Keynes, Leeds, and Stockton-on-Tees, marks a significant push toward automated operations for the company, now a subsidiary of DoorDash following a deal valued at £2.9 billion.

Claude Bahati, an organizer for the GMB union, questioned the company's financial priorities, noting that investment in autonomous systems should not overshadow the needs of the people who sustain the platform. According to Bahati, couriers are currently grappling with rising living costs and a lack of basic support, such as access to facilities while working in harsh weather. The union has expressed frustration over a lack of direct engagement from Deliveroo and local authorities, insisting that future technological shifts must be negotiated with the workers who built the company’s success.