Food delivery drivers should be afforded the same safety protections as shop workers in forthcoming legislation, according to a coalition of businesses.
Pizza Express, Wingstop, Bella Italia, Cafe Rouge, Dishoom and Pizza Pilgrims are among the restaurant chains to have signed a letter coordinated by Deliveroo to the home secretary, Yvette Cooper, calling for greater protections for delivery drivers in the upcoming Crime & Policing Bill.
Through the bill, the UK Government has committed to create a standalone offence of assaulting or threatening a retail worker when they’re at their place of work, however signatories say this stops short of protecting delivery riders when they are on a delivery.
The group is calling on the government to protect delivery riders for the entire duration of their delivery – from accepting the order, travelling to collect it, all the way through to dropping it off at the customer’s house.
The letter, which is also signed by supermarket chain Morrisons and supported by the British Retail Consortium and GMB Union, forms part of Deliveroo’s ‘Right to Ride Safely’ campaign which launched in November 2024.
Many delivery riders are subjected to abuse while doing their job, according to Deliveroo, which has reported a 28% increase in abusive incidents toward riders. “There are real people behind these numbers – people who face physical and verbal assault, racism, sexism and theft. It’s time for the government to act and send a clear message: abuse against delivery riders will not be tolerated,” the letter states.
Deliveroo also wants the legislation to make clear that restaurants and other hospitality settings are included in the definition of a ‘retail premises’.
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