Uber Pauses European Expansion to Pursue Delivery Hero Acquisition

The ride-sharing company Uber Technologies Inc. has paused its food delivery expansion into five of the seven European markets it targeted for 2026. While the company successfully launched services in Denmark and Finland, it halted plans to enter Austria, Norway, Greece, the Czech Republic, and Romania. This shift deviates from an original strategy intended to generate $1 billion in gross bookings over three years.

This strategic pivot coincides with Uber's pursuit of the German firm Delivery Hero. In May, Delivery Hero rejected a 10 billion euro takeover bid, though it confirmed receiving an offer of 33 euros per share. Uber has since increased its stake in the company to nearly 37% through a purchase of shares from Aspex Management, although other reports place the current ownership at 19.5%.

Industry sources suggest the pause in expansion is a tactical move to alleviate antitrust concerns and avoid provoking European competition regulators. Delivery Hero already maintains a presence in the targeted markets through brands such as Foodora, efood, and Glovo. Uber informed the Financial Times that it decided to "focus on continuing the momentum" in its existing markets following the successful launches in Finland and Denmark.