Getir, the instant grocery delivery app that flourished during the pandemic, says it is cutting more than a tenth of its workforce.
The Turkish firm, which has 23,000 staff in markets such as the UK and Germany, said the 2,500 cuts would improve “operational efficiency”. It follows a regulatory crackdown in some countries, as well as rising competition from supermarkets. The firm has quit Italy, Spain, France and Portugal in the last few months.
Getir delivers groceries in cities in as little as 10 minutes from so-called “dark stores” – city-centre depositories – charging a mark-up on supermarket prices.
There have also been reports it is racing to raise cash, amid rumours its UK operation could go bust – claims people close to the firm have reportedly denied. Last month the company auctioned off equipment in the UK ranging from scooters to food delivery boxes after closing a number of dark stores. At the time the firm said it was “normal” to sell excess inventory.
Getir, which employs couriers, pickers and office staff, said it had made the latest job cuts “regrettably” and “with a heavy heart”.
It is unclear whether staff in the UK, one if its biggest markets, will be affected. The firm also operates in the US, Germany, the Netherlands and Turkey.
It thrived during the Covid lockdowns but has been hit by consumers returning to shops, while countries have also raised competition concerns. In July, the firm and its subsidiary Gorillas shut down in France and cut 1,300 jobs after officials reclassified dark stores as warehouses.
Its rival Flink from Germany also pulled out of the country.
There had been complaints about noise at dark stores, while city planners said the model threatened to drain life from the public space and create a society of homebound consumers. The deputy mayor of Paris also accused Getir and others of “predatory capitalistic behaviour”.
Getir said the decision to pull out had been “inevitable because of the difficult economic climate, a hostile regulatory environment and an absence of potential buyers”.
Food deliveries in France remain possible via internet operators such as Uber Eats and Deliveroo that work in co-operation with supermarkets.
— CutC by bbc.com
