Major takeaway agency broadcasts 300 jobs cuts worldwide as battle for Christmas commerce looms

Just Eat is making 300 staff redundant across its global business – equivalent to 2 per cent of the food delivery giant’s workforce, MailOnline can reveal today.

The Amsterdam-based company confirmed the cuts after results last month revealed tough trading in the US had offset a better performance in the UK and Europe.

The job losses were made in 11 of its regions worldwide and across staff in customer service, products, technology, human resources, sales, marketing and logistics.

Just Eat said the reduction in workers was a ‘tough’ decision but a ‘necessary step’ to ensure it can ‘fuel sustainable growth and enhance operational efficiencies’.

MailOnline also understands the firm has given redundant staff ‘enhanced severance packages’ and access to career transition services and wellbeing resources.

It comes as Just Eat continues to face stiff competition from rivals Uber Eats and Deliveroo and the trio battle for takeaway orders in the run-up to Christmas.

Food delivery giant Just Eat is making 300 staff redundant across its global business

A Just Eat spokeswoman told MailOnline: ‘Following an extensive business review, we have made the difficult decision to reduce the size of our global workforce.

‘While decisions like these are tough, it is a necessary step we’ve needed to take to ensure we have the right organisational structure in place to fuel sustainable growth and enhance operational efficiencies.

‘Altogether, this will impact approximately 300 employees across multiple teams and markets globally, accounting for around 2 per cent of the Just Eat Takeaway.com workforce.

‘We will provide full support to the impacted team members and we are incredibly grateful for the contributions they have made to the business.’

It is understood that the redundancies came after Just East carried out a regular review of its cost base and operations, which is part of its growth strategy.

The Just Eat third quarter trading update issued on October 16 included this table showing gross transaction value (GTV) in millions of euros, and total order figures for regions

In March 2023, Just Eat cut 1,870 jobs in the UK after a slowdown in sales, which included 170 operational roles. 

The firm also moved from employing its own couriers to contractors instead, resulting in the other 1,700 losses.

Just Eat operates in 19 countries, including Britain, the US and Germany through its local brands. 

In its most recent results on October 16, Just Eat posted a 3 per cent drop in sales, as measured by gross transaction value (GTV), to €6.3billion (£5.3billion) in the three months to September.

In the UK and Ireland, GTV lifted 6 per cent to €1.8billion (£1.5 billion) and was 4 per cent higher across northern Europe, or 4 per cent and 3 per cent higher on a constant currency basis respectively.

Just Eat – officially called ‘Just Eat Take​away.com’ – is based in the building in Amsterdam

But a 12 per cent tumble in the US market – where it is still trying to offload its Grubhub business, bought for £5.75billion in 2021 – dragged down the wider group result.

Just Eat said at the time that it saw a better performance across the group towards the end of the third quarter after a ‘slower July’.

It also delivered fewer orders through its platforms in the third quarter, down 1 per cent in the UK and Ireland at 60.1million, with a 6 per cent drop across the group to 211.1million following the US woes.

The third quarter performance marked a pull back after the company’s best UK trading for three years in the first half thanks partly to higher food price inflation boosting order values.

The London-listed group saw GTV rise by 9 per cent, or 6 per cent on a constant currency basis, to €3.4billion (£2.8 billion) in the first half of 2024.

Just Eat continues to face stiff competition from rivals Uber Eats and Deliveroo

Just Eat has been seeking ways to boost revenue streams after demand waned following the pandemic boom, including broadening its offering to retail stores and introducing more advertising.

It has also cut costs through measures such as leaving less profitable markets and trying to use artificial intelligence to reduce the workload at its call centres.

In September, Just Eat agreed a tie-up with sex toy maker Lovehoney that will see it deliver ‘sexual wellbeing products’ and accessories.

It was the latest in a string of non-food-related partnerships with Just Eat in recent months, following deals with Lush cosmetics and Boots.