Neglected on the Road: Malta’s Food Couriers Call for Fair Pay and Rest Facilities
Food Courier Eat at the street , while on duty , Photo : rising malta
Valletta, Malta – October 2025:
Food couriers in Malta, who tirelessly deliver meals to customers’ doors, are raising their voices about the difficult conditions they face while working long hours on the road. Despite being an essential part of the food delivery system, many couriers say they are often neglected and underpaid, with no fixed monthly income and no proper facilities to rest or refresh during their shifts.
Most couriers in Malta are employed through fleet operators and work via platforms such as Bolt and Wolt, which has led to inconsistent payment structures and limited worker protections. Drivers report that their income depends solely on the number of deliveries completed, leaving them vulnerable to fluctuating demand and fleet rate reductions.
In April 2025, courier representatives held a meeting with Wolt management to address these concerns. During the meeting, they submitted a petition highlighting the urgent issues faced by delivery drivers across Malta. Wolt’s management acknowledged the petition and agreed to review the situation, raising hopes for possible improvements in the near future.
However, couriers say challenges remain. They describe long working hours, often without access to basic facilities such as toilets, rest areas, clean drinking water, or mobile charging stations. Many spend most of their time on the road, exposed to heat, rain, and fatigue.
One frustrated courier explained that fleet operators have recently reduced per-delivery rates, making it increasingly difficult to earn a sustainable income.
“It’s getting hard to survive working as a food courier,” said one driver. “We’re working more hours than before, but earning less.”
Another driver, Anil , shared his experience:
“With reduced delivery payments, we have to work longer hours. Some drivers barely take breaks between shifts. We try our best to follow health and safety rules to prevent road accidents, but exhaustion makes it hard. Many of us feel sleepy and tired while driving.”
Couriers across Malta are now urging the authorities to intervene by setting a minimum delivery rate and establishing service points where drivers can rest, charge their phones, and access clean water and toilets.
Until such measures are introduced, Malta’s food couriers — who help keep the country’s food delivery system running — continue to face tough conditions with little support.
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