Overview
- The Santé‑Course study, published Tuesday, found couriers average 63 hours a week for about €1,480 gross a month based on 1,004 interviews in Paris and Bordeaux in early 2025.
- Couriers reported widespread harm to health, including back and joint pain, urinary problems, anxiety and depression, with 59% saying they had at least one work accident and 78% of bike crashes causing injury.
- The workforce is overwhelmingly immigrant, with 98% born abroad and 68% lacking residence permits, which drives account renting that can lead to threats, withheld pay and fear of losing access to work.
- Uber Eats, Deliveroo and Stuart disputed the methods and conclusions, arguing the sample is biased and that time spent connected is not work time, while pointing to insurance and pay-per-order measures.
- Existing French court rulings on disguised employment and an EU directive adopted in November 2024 frame the next steps, as unions and NGOs call for worker protections, health access and possible reclassification.