According to the company, the markets from which Getir departs are still responsible for only seven percent of global turnover. The company’s employees will be further informed about the course of events on Monday. In order to guarantee the company’s withdrawal from the countries and the future, Getir completed a new investment round last week. The money can be used to strengthen the Turkish branch of the company.
Getir states in a response that it takes ‘good’ care of its employees and says that everyone receives ‘an offer for a reasonable severance package’. “The unions have already been informed about our intention and the process,” said a spokesperson.
Trade union FNV hopes to be able to quickly make agreements with Getir about a social plan. “There should be a work-to-work process or employees should receive money so that they have time to find a new job,” says Frank van Bennekom of FNV Young & United.
Under pressure
Getir has been under pressure for some time. Last August, the company laid off about ten percent of its total workforce, which amounted to about 2,500 jobs. The company also said goodbye to the Spanish, Portuguese and Italian markets.
Flash delivery companies such as Getir grew rapidly during the corona pandemic and for investors the sector was seen as a goose with golden eggs. But in Amsterdam, that growth also came with many problems. Residents living nearby the buildings they lived in often experienced a lot of inconvenience. And according to the municipality, the zoning plans of many of those buildings were not suitable for housing a flash delivery service. Many lawsuits followed, with the municipality always winning and Getir having to close several branches. Ultimately, Amsterdam even came up with a special zoning plan for the fits delivery companies, which meant that the companies could only establish themselves outside residential areas.
Fewer orders due to high inflation
It wasn’t just the municipality that was bothering flash delivery drivers; After corona had run its course, developments in the global economy did not help either. High inflation left people with less money to spend, which made them less likely to order groceries from flash delivery companies, which are more expensive than traditional supermarkets. In addition, interest rates rose sharply, making it more difficult for companies to borrow capital. Investors – who also saw their sources of money drying up – demanded that Getir become profitable faster.
In total, Getir’s adventure in the Netherlands lasted less than four years. At the end of 2020, the German flash delivery company Gorillas was the first to arrive in the city, followed by fellow countryman Flink and then the Turkish pioneer Getir and the British Zapp.
Zapp was the first to disappear from the Amsterdam streets. In Amsterdam, Gorillas took over the three remaining Zapp locations and part of the workforce in July 2022. At the end of 2022, Gorillas – whose company value had halved in a year – was acquired by Getir for reportedly ‘only’ 1.6 billion euros. Another year and a half later, Getir closes the door behind it in the Netherlands and takes Gorillas with it in its fall.
Due to the departure of Getir and Gorillas, Flink remains the only flash delivery company.
About the author: Jesper Roele has been writing for Het Parool since 2019 about everyday news from Amsterdam, festivals, nightlife and techsector. You can send tips to [email protected].
Tags: Flash delivery company Getir withdrawing Netherlands Germany
