Mar 30, 2020 - Economy

Instacart says strike had "no impact" on operations

Dan Primack

Grocery delivery company Instacart said Monday afternoon that a proposed worker strike had "absolutely no impact" on its operations, and that the platform had 40% more workers than it did at the same day and time last week (Monday at 12:30 pm PST).

Between the lines: Axios is unable to independently verify Instacart's claim, nor accurately gauge how many workers may have stayed home. But, as we wrote earlier, gig economy "strikes" often are more successful at making noise than getting numbers, and the strike organizer intentionally doesn't keep worker lists due to potential legal retaliation.

Instacart also said that 250,000 new people have signed up over the past week to become full-time "shoppers," which is company terminology for its in-store and delivery contractors, and that 50,000 of them have already begun work.
It also said that it has sold more groceries via its platform over the past 72 hours than in any prior 72-hour period.

Axios has reached out to one of the strike organizers for their thoughts on Instacart's statement, and will update this story if she replies.

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Instacart says strike had "no impact" on operations

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