Back in February, Uber announced ambitious plans to launch in seven new European markets in 2026 – but now reports the Financial Times that five of those launches have been suspended. Land introductions that have been paused include Austria, Norway and Greece.
Uber appeared to confirm the decision to the FT, saying that recent launches in Finland and Denmark had been a “great success” and that it now “wants to focus on continuing the momentum” in existing markets.
Another likely factor in the decision: Uber’s continued efforts to acquire Delivery Hero, a European company that Uber’s takeover bid worth 10 billion euros was rejected in May.
It appears Uber is still hoping to make the deal a reality. An industry source said pausing further expansion could allay competition concerns surrounding a potential takeover, especially as Delivery Hero operates delivery services in several target countries.
