Wolt's New Substitute Scheme Sparks Criticism
07. August 2026Wolt's New Substitute Scheme Sparks Criticism Over Responsibility and Risk
A new arrangement introduced by Wolt in Norway, allowing couriers to appoint substitutes when they are unavailable, has drawn strong criticism from both couriers and the trade union movement. Critics argue that the company is shifting responsibility and risk onto individual couriers instead of assuming employer-like responsibilities.
Under the scheme, couriers can invite a substitute to use their account while they are away. However, the courier remains fully responsible for ensuring that the substitute has the legal right to work and reside in Norway. They are also liable if anything goes wrong during deliveries or if the substitute breaches Norwegian law or Wolt's terms and conditions.
Oslo-based Wolt courier Erik Sandnes described the arrangement as unnecessary, noting that couriers are classified as self-employed and already have complete freedom to decide when they work. In his view, the new feature is the clearest example yet of Wolt attempting to distance itself from responsibility.
Norway's Fellesforbundet trade union has also strongly criticised the scheme. Union Secretary Dag-Einar Sivertsen argues that it raises fundamental questions about whether couriers are genuinely self-employed. If they truly operate independent businesses, he says, Wolt should not need to regulate how they organise their absence. At the same time, he questions why individuals with no fixed working hours or obligation to work should be expected to find their own substitutes.
According to Fellesforbundet, the case highlights the need for clearer rules governing employment conditions in the platform economy. The union argues that Wolt is transferring financial and practical risks to individual workers while simultaneously imposing requirements that resemble those found in traditional employment relationships.
Wolt rejects the criticism. Christian Kamhaug, the company's Head of Communications, states that the right to appoint a substitute is recognised under European law as a characteristic of genuine self-employment. He says the company has simply made this option easier to access through its app and stresses that it is entirely voluntary. The documentation requirements, he adds, are intended to ensure that substitutes are legally entitled to work in Norway and understand their responsibilities.
The debate reflects the ongoing discussion across Europe about employment status in the platform economy and where the line should be drawn between genuine self-employment and an employment relationship.
Source: FriFagbevegelse