Uber Eats' robot deliveries augment Japan's workforce

The shrinking and ageing population is one of the factors that led to a shift in food deliveries.

Uber Eats’ introduction of self-driving robot deliveries in Japan has served as a response to the labour shortage issue in the country due to the shrinking and ageing population, according to analytics firm GlobalData.

Following the government’s implementation of loose traffic laws in February 2023, Uber Eats has rolled out the use of autonomous delivery robots. The move has also helped the older population from rural areas with no access to daily necessities.

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Furthermore, the move has also reflected the growing reliance on food deliveries. Last Q4 2023, 29% of respondents have been highly dependent on food delivery, and 58% of consumers aged 18-24 have used food deliveries. This represents a paradigm shift towards e-commerce purchases and home deliveries, extended from the recent pandemic.

“Even though the initiative looks progressive on paper, the increasing role of technology in food delivery is likely to attract backlash from some corners. The innovation is also likely to spur opposition from gig workers, who have already been struggling with the country’s declining real wages and inflation,” Neralla Rama Ravi Teja, Consumer Analyst at GlobalData, said.