EXCLUSIVE: Getir exits Birmingham, Brighton, Liverpool and Southampton after September lay-offs

Getir has retreated from more cities in England, with the instant grocery deliverer closing depots and laying off staff in September and October.

After an earlier round of closures in April this year, the company retained deliveries in only a few key cities. However, comments from former Getir drivers show further cuts. One said they had ‘closed all Liverpool stores’. Drivers in Leicester, Ashton Under Lyne, Nottingham and East London’s Catford also said their sites had recently shut.

Searches by RN showed other cities that survived the April cull such as Birmingham, Southampton and Brighton are now also no longer covered. Confirming the closures, a Getir spokesperson told RN: “At the end of August, Getir announced a global restructuring to increase operational efficiency. This decision includes closing some stores in countries, such as the UK.”

The closures could represent an opportunity for other stores offering grocery deliveries in areas affected, although the overall grocery delivery market appears to be struggling.

Comments from Getir drivers suggested a collapse in demand over the summer. The company responded with 2,500 job cuts across five European countries including the UK starting in September. The FT reported the company’s valuation had plummeted from $11.8bn to $2.5 bn in just 18 months as the cost-of-living crisis coupled with reduced offers squeezed demand for its premium service.

The drop in order volumes and depots is likely to hit Getir’s key wholesale partner Nisa, which supplies Getir sites with more than 300 Co-op products.