New report provides second assessment of working conditions in the Spanish platform economy

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Researchers at the Complutense University of Madrid (UCM) and the Oxford Internet Institute, University of Oxford conducted an in-depth study of seven platform companies in Spain. Although the report has detected some improvements on certain platforms compared to the previous year (in terms of minimum wages and fair management, for example), the majority of these companies were unable to demonstrate a minimum standard of fair work.

Alberto Riesco-Sanz, professor of Sociology at UCM said:

“The Spanish context reflects significant progress in the transition toward an employment-based model of platform work. However, structural challenges persist, including the outsourcing or subcontracting of work management, the fragmentation of employer responsibilities, low wages, and algorithmic opacity. While formalization under an employment-based model is necessary, it represents only a starting point for establishing fairer employment relationships within the platform economy”.

Co-author Francisco Tovar-Martínez, professor of Sociology at UCM said:

“The platform economy is firmly established in Spain, although it is currently undergoing significant transformations. Its presence is not limited to the most well-known sectors, such as food delivery or ride-hailing. Platforms such as Livo (hospital nursing) and Cuideo (care for dependent persons) illustrate this diversification, demonstrating that the platformisation of work extends beyond male-dominated, low-skilled, or consumer-oriented sectors”.

Ratings

This new report, “Fairwork Spain Ratings 2025: Insufficient progress in protecting work on digital platforms”, ranks platforms against five principles of fair work, giving each company a score out of ten according to how fairly they treat workers. Just Eat, topped the ranking with a score of seven out of a possible 10 points. Cabify and Livo scored three points, while Uber scored two points. The remaining three platforms, Cuideo, Glovoand Taskrabbit, have not provided sufficient evidence to be awarded any of the 10 possible points.

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Key findings:

Fair Pay: Four platforms (Just Eat, Cabify, Uber, and Livo) pay above the statutory mínimum wage after cost. Livo stands out for also exceeding the estimated local living wage

Fair Conditions: Only Just Eat attains a full score, providing robust occupational health and safety policies, training, and equipment provision at no cost to the workers, as well as comprehensive social protections, including fully paid sick leave.

Fair Contracts: Only Just Eat and Livo receive points under this principle, as they could show evidence that they offer transparent contracts that are compliant with Spanish legislation.

Fair Management: Only Just Eat and Cabify partially meet this principle, by showing proof of providing effective channels for dialogue and grievance procedures.

Fair Representation: Cabify, Uber, and Just Eat enable the effective exercise of collective rights.

Researchers from the Complutense University of Madrid (Alberto Riesco-Sanz, Francisco J. Tovar Martínez, María Arnal Sarasa, Marialaura Birgillito, Álvaro Briales Canseco, Francisco J. Fernández-Trujillo Moares, Mar Maira Vidal, Laureano Martínez Sardoni, Pablo Meseguer Gancedo, Antonio Ramírez Melgarejo, Juan Carlos Revilla Castro) and the University of Valladolid (Ana Negro Macho, Víctor Riesgo Gómez) are calling for stronger protections and more robust labour standards in Spain’s platform economy.