Deliveroo Robot Couriers Debut in UK, Union Calls It 'Disappointing'

What is Deliveroo's robot delivery trial in the UK?

Deliveroo has started its first UK robot delivery trial in London's Canary Wharf this month, using fully electric four-wheeled bots from Coco Robotics. Further trials are planned for Milton Keynes, Leeds, Stockton-on-Tees and Nottingham in the coming weeks and months. Deliveroo says the majority of orders will still be fulfilled by its human rider network.

The robots are the first autonomous couriers to operate on Deliveroo's UK platform. Coco Robotics supplies the four-wheeled, fully electric machines, which have already been running deliveries for DoorDash in cities such as Los Angeles, Miami and Helsinki.

Deliveroo frames the trial as an addition, not a replacement. The company says the bots can also share real-time data on pavement hazards with BlindSquare, a GPS navigation app used by blind and partially sighted people.

The rollout is small for now, but it puts Deliveroo alongside Evri, which recently began testing two-legged robot delivery drivers in the UK, and DoorDash, which has revealed a delivery drone for Northern California.

Why is the GMB Union criticizing Deliveroo's robot couriers?

The GMB Union, which represents couriers across Deliveroo's rider network, says the robot trials are 'disappointing' because they were not negotiated with workers and because Deliveroo is investing in automation while couriers still struggle with rising living costs, fair pay and compensation for return journeys.

GMB organizer Claude Bahati said: 'If Deliveroo can afford to invest in autonomous technology, why can it not invest properly in the workers who keep the platform running every day?' The union points to the Nottingham trial as an example of investment that has not been matched for human riders.

The union's second complaint is procedural. Bahati said 'innovation should not come at the expense of real people, and these developments must always be negotiated with workers.' The GMB wants riders treated with 'dignity, respect and fairness' as automation expands.

Deliveroo has been asked to respond to the criticism. TechRadar said it would update its story when the company replies, so the company's full position on the union's claims is not yet public.

• The GMB says the robot plans were not negotiated with couriers.
• The union argues Deliveroo can afford automation but not better rider pay.
• Riders are calling for fairer pay and compensation for return journeys.
• The GMB wants future investment to include the people who built the platform.

Will robot couriers replace human Deliveroo riders?

Not in the short term. Deliveroo has promised that the majority of orders will continue to be fulfilled by its human rider network, and the current trial covers only a handful of UK cities. Whether four-wheeled robots become a real threat to couriers or just a niche extra pair of hands is still an open question.

The robots have practical limits. They travel on pavements and cross streets at walking pace, which makes them better suited to short, dense urban routes than to long or high-volume deliveries. That is why early deployments cluster around business districts such as Canary Wharf.

Public opinion is also mixed. In a TechRadar reader poll, 48% said they would rather have a human deliver their order, while 31% said they would welcome a robot. The rest were undecided or had no strong preference.

The bigger pressure on couriers may come from economics rather than technology. If robot costs per delivery fall below rider costs in dense areas, delivery platforms will face a strong incentive to expand automation, and unions will face a harder fight over pay and conditions.

How are other delivery companies using robots in 2026?

Deliveroo is not alone. Evri has announced a trial of two-legged robot delivery drivers in the UK, DoorDash has revealed a delivery drone for Northern California, and Amazon's Prime Air drones have drawn noise complaints in Texas. Robot and drone delivery is moving from pilot projects toward regular urban operations.

Each company is testing a different form factor. Coco Robotics uses four-wheeled pavement robots, Evri is experimenting with bipedal machines, and DoorDash and Amazon are betting on drones for faster, longer-range drops. Regulators, city councils and residents are only beginning to set the rules for all of them.

The common thread is cost per delivery. Delivery platforms are under investor pressure to show a path to profitability, and automation is one of the few levers that can cut labor costs at scale without raising customer fees.

For UK riders, the practical question is timing. Trials in five cities do not equal a nationwide rollout, but they are the first step in a process that unions in the UK and the US are now watching closely.

1. Deliveroo and Coco Robotics: four-wheeled pavement robots in five UK cities.
2. Evri: two-legged robot delivery drivers in a UK trial.
3. DoorDash: delivery drone for Northern California.
4. Amazon Prime Air: drone deliveries in Texas, facing noise complaints.

Bottom line

Deliveroo's robot couriers have arrived in the UK, but the GMB Union's 'disappointing' verdict shows automation is now a labor issue, not just a tech story. If you use Deliveroo in Canary Wharf or the other trial cities, you may soon see a four-wheeled bot at your door. Watch for Deliveroo's response to the union and for any rider pay commitments attached to the rollout.