Traxlo brings pay-per-task gig work model to UK grocers

Traxlo, a gig worker platform focused on grocery retail operations, has launched in the UK with a pay-per-task model aimed at in-store and warehouse work.

The company said it has worked with 60% of Europe's largest grocery and commerce groups during its first three years of operation. It also said it has delivered more than 300,000 tasks in that period. Traxlo cited Carrefour, REWE Group, RIMI and Żabka as customers in Europe.

Traxlo said UK retailers face labour shortages and higher operating costs. The company positions its service as a way for stores and head offices to cover shifts and specific pieces of work at short notice, including during peak demand and staff absence.

Pay per task

Traxlo's model prices work as discrete tasks rather than hourly shifts. The company said tasks typically range from GBP £3 to £50. It said retailers agree pricing in advance with Traxlo's guidance. Stores can offer multiple tasks in a single outlet in one day, according to the company.

Traxlo said the most common tasks completed through its platform have included shelf restocking and replenishment, gap scanning, pallet handling, inventory control, product expiry management and eCommerce order picking.

Workers access tasks through Traxlo's app, which the company calls tasku.app. Traxlo said workers can view and choose tasks they are qualified to undertake. The platform focuses on grocery store and warehouse requirements, according to the company.

Quality control

Traxlo said it manages checks and training for workers on its platform. The company said it conducts legal right-to-work checks and provides task training. It also said it handles quality control. Traxlo said gig workers remain its responsibility rather than the retailer's.

For grocery retailers, the approach reflects a shift towards outcome-based labour in areas that often rely on temporary staffing. It also comes as the wider UK retail sector faces cost pressure, recruitment challenges, and changes in workforce expectations.

The company also referenced expectations of continued growth in platform work across Europe. Traxlo cited an estimate from the European Parliament that 43 million Europeans are expected to work for digital labour platforms by 2025.

Traxlo's Chief Executive Officer and Co-founder linked the UK launch to changes in the labour market and recent cost increases for employers.

"Brexit is just one challenge for the UK. There are plenty of reports and statistics about declining retail staff morale, a worsening labour market and the impact of higher wage costs and tax increases. Having tested and refined our model in Europe for the last few years, we are now in exactly the right position to empower UK retailers to manage a flexible, specialised, trained human resource on a pay per task basis. This model brings with it a time and cost reduction but also enables internal staff to focus on core, high-value tasks and improves a store's local community engagement as it becomes recognised as both a place to earn as well as spend," said Paul Vezelis, CEO and Co-founder, Traxlo.

Business profile

Traxlo was founded in 2020 in Stockholm. The company is headquartered in Vilnius. It operates in Poland and Romania as well as the UK. Traxlo said it has 11 employees and more than 30,000 registered gig workers on its platform.

Vezelis has a background in grocery technology, according to the company. Traxlo's Chief Technology Officer and Co-founder, Almantas Zemblys, previously worked at Swedbank. Traxlo also took part in Antler's startup accelerator programme in Sweden as a graduate company in 2020.

The company said it has raised more than EUR €2.7 million in venture capital funding. It named Antler, Iron Wolf Capital, Coinvest Capital, Bad Ideas Fund, Plug and Play, and NGL among its investors.

Traxlo said it is now establishing its UK base as it expands beyond its existing European markets, with the company offering its task-based model to grocery retailers and warehouses across the country.