Uber’s Economic Impact
in New Zealand
2024
Key Facts
Since launching in New Zealand in 2014, Uber has offered local businesses and people flexible, reliable earning opportunities, whilst also transforming the lives of consumers.
By making transportation and delivery services more convenient, safe, and affordable, the company has helped to stimulate economic activity at a critical moment for the country.
In 2024, we estimate in total that Uber created NZ$1.5 billion in direct, indirect, and induced economic value for driver partners, delivery people, restaurants, and other businesses in New Zealand.
Expanding Flexible Earning Opportunities
Uber and Uber Eats have together offered tens of thousands of New Zealanders the opportunity to earn additional flexible income on their terms.
54% of driver partners and delivery people agreed that their earnings through the Uber and Uber Eats apps make them feel more financially secure.
By taking advantage of the flexibility offered by Uber, we estimate that driver partners and delivery people were able to spend an additional 1.6 million hours with their family in 2024.
53% of driver partners and delivery people say they have more time for personal projects owing to the flexibility of earning through the Uber and Uber Eats apps.
Connecting Customers to Local Businesses
New Zealand’s platform economy helps to connect local businesses to domestic and international customers.
Of the total revenue that merchants earned through the Uber Eats app in 2024, NZ$120 million is additional revenue from extra orders that would not have existed without the app.
of Uber Eats users reported that Uber Eats allows them to discover new restaurants.
We estimate that the Uber app supported an additional NZ$67 million of economic activity across the tourism industry by connecting tourists to businesses and landmarks in 2024.
Making Daily Life Easier
Uber offers New Zealanders the ability to get where or what they want at the touch of a button.
of Uber riders told us that convenience was the most important reason they choose to use the Uber app.
Every day, we estimate that Uber Eats is used to order food for 1,700 birthday celebrations, 2,700 date nights, and 5,900 family meals.
We asked Kiwis how much they would have to be compensated to lose access to Uber for the next month. Based on their response, we estimate that the total annual consumer surplus created by Uber and Uber Eats together is equal to NZ$1.2 billion.
Supporting Sustainable Choices
Uber is doing its part to help facilitate more environmentally friendly practices, from connecting riders with the nearest public transport to offering rides in electric vehicles at no extra cost.
Uber is helping to reduce people’s reliance on the private car. We estimate that up to 33,000 New Zealand households are forgoing a private car due to the availability of rideshare apps like Uber.
According to Uber’s rideshare data, nearly 5% of all kilometers driven in New Zealand were in EVs between October and December 2024.
Prioritising Safety
Safety was one of the main reasons that Kiwis chose to use ridesharing apps to reach their destinations.
82% of Uber riders said that safety is an important factor when choosing to use the Uber app.
57% of Uber riders said that the Uber app is often the safest way for them to get home.
Introduction
The Platform Economy in New Zealand
New Zealand has navigated a difficult economic landscape in recent years, adapting to global inflationary pressures, supply chain disruptions, and the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. In combination, these challenges have highlighted the resilience and adaptability of its people and institutions.
Amid these changes, digital platform work has emerged as a valuable source of opportunity for New Zealanders. Platforms like Uber and Uber Eats offer flexible earning potential for driver partners and delivery people while also strengthening the hospitality, retail, and tourism sectors by expanding their customer reach.
Beyond direct financial benefits, the platform economy is playing a broader role in strengthening economic resilience. By enabling greater workforce participation, fostering digital adoption among local businesses, and enhancing service accessibility, these platforms are contributing to New Zealand’s ongoing economic recovery and long-term growth.
In combination, Uber and Uber Eats play an important role in ongoing economic recovery and growth by:
Offering convenience, reliability and safety. App-based innovations have empowered New Zealanders to travel with greater confidence, whilst accessing food and essentials at the touch of a button.
Helping businesses reach new consumers. Apps including Uber and Uber Eats have opened new avenues for businesses to connect to domestic and international customers.
Providing additional income for driver partners and delivery people. The app-based economy offers flexible, reliable earning opportunities that often provide a crucial financial buffer for families struggling with rising costs of living.
Supporting more sustainable choices. The platform economy helps consumers and businesses to live more efficiently, helping to reduce our reliance on the private car, increase adoption of zero and low emissions vehicles, and promote more environmentally friendly lifestyles through sustainable packaging.
To fully understand Uber’s impact in New Zealand, Public First has performed a range of different calculations to capture all of Uber’s economic contributions. This considers driver partner, delivery people, and merchant earnings through the Uber and Uber Eats apps, as well as the wider indirect and induced multiplier effects created throughout the platform’s activities.
In 2024, we estimate in total that Uber created NZ$1.5 billion in direct, indirect, and induced economic value for driver partners, delivery people, restaurants, and other businesses in New Zealand.
Expanding Flexible Earning Opportunities
Uber creates new earning opportunities for driver partners and delivery people.
Uber and Uber Eats have together offered tens of thousands of New Zealanders the opportunity to earn additional income on their terms.
When we spoke to driver partners and delivery people earning through Uber and Uber Eats:
of driver partners and delivery people agreed apps like Uber Eats provide a financial cushion when economic conditions are tough.
of driver partners and delivery people agreed that their earnings through the Uber Eats app make them feel more financially secure.
Meanwhile, driver partners found that, by bringing them together with riders, Uber helps to create a much more efficient environment for earning additional income. According to our research:
of driver partners agreed that apps like Uber are a good way to earn money when looking for other types of work.
of driver partners with caring responsibilities said the additional income had helped cover family expenses.
Uber offers unprecedented flexibility to driver partners and delivery people.
Flexibility is especially valuable to driver partners and delivery people. When asked about the most important aspects of working life, flexibility was rated as the most important factor. By making it easier to start and stop working, Uber allows driver partners and delivery people to work when it suits them.
The majority of respondents to our surveys said that they would rather retain the right to choose their own hours, even if the alternative was an increase in earnings. In fact, having calculated the earnings that driver partners and delivery people would sacrifice to retain control over their schedule, we estimate that this increased flexibility is worth NZ$260 million to driver partners and delivery people.
driver partners said that they have more time for personal projects because of the flexibility of earning with the Uber app.
delivery people said that app-based work has permitted them the opportunity to start or grow a new business.
What do you like most about driving or delivering through the Uber app or Uber Eats app?
Uber helps driver partners and delivery people to spend more time with their loved ones.
For those with young children and elderly relatives, Uber provides the flexibility to look after their family whilst still earning a living. When asked what responsibilities they have besides driving and delivery, 86% of driver partners and delivery people said they have another responsibility that takes up a significant part of their time.
of driver partners and delivery people say they get to spend more time with their family because of the flexibility of earning with Uber or Uber Eats.
of driver partners and delivery people said that they were the primary or major caregiver for someone, such as a child or elderly relative.
Due to the flexibility that working with Uber offers, we estimate that driver partners and delivery people were able to spend an additional 1.6 million hours with family in 2024.
Connecting Customers to Businesses
Uber Eats helps customers to discover new restaurants and retailers.
By improving access to food and other essential items, delivery apps boost demand for local merchants. In particular, Uber Eats provides an easy way for New Zealanders to order food and other essential items from merchants in their local area, with half of Uber Eats users agreeing that food delivery apps have increased the frequency with which they order from restaurants.
of Uber Eats users reported that the Uber Eats app allows them to discover new restaurants.
of Uber Eats users have discovered restaurants with the Uber Eats app that they have since visited in person.
By leveraging the reach, convenience, and operational support of food delivery apps, merchants can enhance their revenue potential and grow their businesses more effectively. We estimate that the Uber Eats app supported NZ$120 million in additional value for merchants in New Zealand in 2024 that would not have been earned without Uber Eats or other food delivery apps.
Uber empowers customers to reach local enterprises.
The Uber app makes it easier for people to move around their city, and to deploy their spending power across the local economy. New Zealanders can travel longer distances and discover places they haven’t visited before. This in turn creates significant additional value for local businesses.
adults (45%) agree that the Uber app makes it easier to try new bars and restaurants further from home.
adults use Uber at least once a month to go shopping.
adults (31%) have used Uber to see a film, show, sport or performance over the past year.
In total, we estimate that the Uber rideshare app has created NZ$33 million in additional value for local shops in 2024 – a welcome boost in the context of declining consumer spending.1
Uber gives New Zealanders the confidence to stay out later.
By providing a stress-free and reliable mode of transportation, the Uber app offers New Zealanders peace of mind when it comes to travelling later at night. This is beneficial for New Zealanders having a good time with friends and family – and also the leisure and hospitality venues that benefit from their extended patronage.
of adults agree that having the Uber app available makes them more confident staying out late.
of adults report using the Uber app multiple times a year to travel to a bar or club.
of Uber riders have used the Uber app to travel to a party or festival in the last year.
Overall, we estimate that the Uber platform supported NZ$21 million in additional value for the night time economy in 2024.
Uber helps New Zealand’s tourism industry to thrive.
Tourism is a central pillar of New Zealand’s economy, with over 3.2 million visitors spending NZ$11.6 billion a year; and from the moment they touch down, tourists need an easy way to get themselves around the country.2 By providing direct, reliable connections between airports, railway stations, hotels, and cultural landmarks, Uber is seen as the best option for many domestic and international visitors.
Riders used Uber over 2.8 million times to help them get to and from New Zealand Airports in 2024 – with extended partnerships with Christchurch and Wellington airports launched in the last year.
As they get settled in, Uber also then helps to bring tourist spending power to local businesses. Overall, we estimate that the Uber app supported an additional NZ$67 million of economic activity across the tourism industry in 2024 by facilitating tourist spending in Kiwi businesses. Uber is therefore playing its role to support the government’s goal of doubling exports – including the export activity associated with tourism – by 2035.
How much value does Uber create for consumers?
One of the most important measures of economic welfare is the consumer surplus: the amount you would have to pay someone for them to voluntarily give a good or service up. If a good has zero consumer surplus, that implies we can take or leave it – whereas goods with a high consumer surplus are playing an important role in our lives.
As part of their poll, we asked riders and consumers how much they would have to be compensated to lose access to the Uber app for the next month. In 2024, we estimate that the total consumer surplus created by Uber and Uber Eats together is equal to NZ$1.2 billion.
In your own words, what are the most important reasons why you use the Uber app?
Uber helps people to make essential journeys.
The convenience offered by the Uber app means the app is often an appealing option to people who need to get somewhere fast or in an emergency.
of Uber riders report using the app to make sure they got somewhere on time.
of Uber riders report using the app to get somewhere where public transit was inconvenient.
of Uber riders report using the app to get to/from an airport.
Faster journeys enabled by the Uber app benefit New Zealanders beyond just helping them to get to their destination quickly.
Uber Eats allows New Zealanders to spend more quality time with their families.
Food delivery platforms like Uber Eats allow New Zealanders to access a wide variety of food in a fast and convenient way, helping New Zealanders to spend less time cooking and more time with their friends and family.
In our polling, we found that half (49%) of New Zealanders say they typically use a food delivery app at least once a year, with approaching a third (29%) saying they typically order from a food delivery app at least once a month on average.
Every day, we estimate that Uber Eats is used to order food for…
date nights
family meals
In total, we calculate that consumers using the Uber Eats app in 2024 saved 4.3 million hours (i.e. from avoiding unwanted journeys out of the house and time spent cooking), allowing families and friends to spend more quality time with each other.
Supporting Sustainable Choices
Uber helps New Zealanders to make greener choices.
As a country that is geographically isolated, New Zealand’s biodiversity is unlike anywhere else. Protected land comprises a third of New Zealand’s total land mass, making it one of the most conservation-focused countries in the world.3
A key aspect of sustainability lies in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Uber is working to create a more sustainable platform through connecting riders with the nearest public transport option, facilitating rides in electric vehicles (EVs) on Uber Green at no extra cost, and incentivising driver partners to switch to EVs. EV uptake amongst driver partners is growing, as of the fourth quarter last year, nearly 5% of all kilometers driven in New Zealand were in EVs.
Uber offers an alternative to car ownership.
Uber is helping to reduce people’s reliance on the private car. We estimate that up to 33,000 households are forgoing a private car due to the availability of rideshare apps like Uber.
of adults without a car told us that the existence of ridesharing services like Uber is an important reason why they do not own a car.
of Uber users agree that having Uber as an option reduces their need to drive.
Uber is particularly helpful for “last mile journeys”, empowering adults to utilise public transport networks more readily instead of using their own vehicle. On average, we estimate that 1 in 7 Uber trips connects with public transport.
Uber is bringing EVs to the mainstream.
Uber is unlocking opportunities for consumers to experience what it’s like to travel in different vehicles such as EVs. According to our research, many Kiwis have their first ever experience of an EV by ordering a ride through the Uber app.
In particular, Uber Green is a more sustainable ride option for consumers to choose low or zero-emission vehicles when they’re traveling from place to place. Crucially, rides with Uber Green cost the same as regular journeys, helping to incentivise riders to help to reduce air pollution in their city.
of Uber riders said their first experience riding in an electric vehicle was through the Uber platform.
of Uber riders would be more likely to request an Uber ride if they knew they would be riding in an electric vehicle.
of adults agreed they would take a more environmentally friendly vehicle if it cost the same or a little more.
Case Study: The Road to Zero Emissions
Uber is committed to being a zero-emission and low-packaging-waste platform by 2040. In New Zealand, Uber is encouraging driver partners to switch to electric vehicles by providing incentives to be one of the first 750 driver partners to upload a battery EV and take at least one trip using that vehicle, and enjoy a resulting 50% reduction on Uber’s Service Fee until 30 June 2025.4
driver partners said that operating on the Uber app has made them more likely to own an EV.
of EV driver partners said they were partially motivated in getting an electric car by the perks offered by the Uber app.
Prioritising Safety
Uber helps riders, driver partners, and delivery people feel safe while travelling.
Being able to move around safely—especially when alone or at night—is essential. Uber takes the safety of riders, driver partners, and delivery people very seriously, offering key features like GPS Tracking, 2-Way ratings, PIN verification, on trip reporting, Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) and audio recording, as well as the Emergency Assistance Button.
Across our research, safety was one of the main reasons that men and women chose to use ridesharing apps to reach their destinations.
of Uber riders said that safety is an important factor when choosing to use the Uber app.
of Uber riders said that the Uber app is often the safest way for them to get home.
of female Uber riders said that the Uber app gives them greater confidence to travel on their own.
Uber plays a role in reducing drink-driving.
Beyond personal safety, Uber plays an important role in improving road safety. Ridesharing provides a straightforward way for adults to get home if they have been out for a drink, thereby reducing the number of alcohol-related incidents that take place.
of Uber riders reported that they had used the Uber app in the last year to travel after consuming alcohol.
of adults agree that the availability of ride hailing apps like the Uber app help to reduce incidents of drunk driving.
In your own words, what are the most important reasons why you use the Uber app?
Methodology
In this report, we used internal Uber data provided for New Zealand, findings from the consumer, driver partner, and delivery person surveys, and researched assumptions from third party sources, for all modelled data points.
Consumer, driver partner, and delivery person surveys
We conducted a series of anonymous, online surveys of 1,005 adults (‘consumers’), 490 Uber driver partners, and 479 Uber delivery people in New Zealand. We conducted our online survey through local panel providers, while our survey of Uber driver partners and delivery people was distributed through Uber’s channels, with Public First retaining full editorial control and control of the data collected through the survey.
The results in the consumer survey were weighted using Iterative Proportional Fitting, or ‘Raking’. The consumer survey was weighted by interlocking age, gender, region, and education level to nationally representative proportions. Public First is a member of the British Polling Council and abides by its rules. For more information please contact the Public First polling team: polling@publicfirst.co.uk.
Economic impact of Uber
The economic impact of Uber was calculated as the sum of:
- Uber provided data on driver partner and delivery person earnings;
- Uber provided data on restaurant payouts;
- Supply chain (indirect) and additional demand (induced) impacts of driver partner and delivery person spending on vehicles;
- Induced impact of net driver partner and delivery person income, which is then spent in the wider economy;
- Supply chain (indirect) and additional demand (induced) impacts on restaurant and grocery shop revenue.
This measure is a gross estimate, looking at the total amount of economic activity supported by Uber in New Zealand. It does not attempt to measure what would happen in a hypothetical where Uber no longer existed. Our modelling does not include the impact of Uber’s direct investment or employment of local corporate staff as a company, or any spillover effect this has into the wider tech ecosystem.
Economic impact of ridesharing apps and food delivery apps
This is a gross estimate derived from Uber’s economic impact and Public First’s consumer survey.
Economic impact on the retail sector
We used internal trip numbers data combined with Public First’s polling to estimate the share of trips to shops that would not have happened without Uber Rides. We used Public First’s polling on shopping spend per trip to estimate the total additional spend at local shops due to Uber Rides.
Economic impact on the tourism sector
To estimate time savings from Uber Eats, we asked consumers what they would have done instead on their last order if Uber Eats and third-party delivery apps didn’t exist. The options were:
- Cook food at home
- Go for a sit down meal at a restaurant
- Not have a meal
- Ordered from a restaurant that does in-house delivery
- Pick up food from a takeout restaurant
We also asked consumers how long they thought it would take to get to their nearest restaurant and takeaway, how long on average it takes them to prepare and cook a meal, and whether they enjoyed cooking. When calculating the time saved from not cooking we took into account that some people enjoyed cooking and therefore weren’t saving time. This polling allowed us to work out the average time saving per Uber Eats order, which we then combined with Uber’s internal data on the number of Uber Eats orders to calculate the total time saved.
Economic impact on the night-time economy
We used Uber’s internal data on the number of Uber Ride trips alongside Public First’s polling to estimate the share of trips to bars, clubs, pubs or restaurants at night as well as the spending per trip. We used Public First’s polling to calculate how many of these trips would not have happened without Uber Rides and applied the spend per trip to estimate the total additional spend for the night-time economy due to Uber Rides.
Economic impact on Uber Eats merchants
The model utilised Uber’s internal data on the total payout to restaurants and merchant partners via Uber Eats. We used Public First’s polling to calculate the share of orders that would not have happened if Uber Eats did not exist. We assumed that on average the value per order for those orders that are additional is the same as those that aren’t, and used the share of orders that are additional to estimate the total additional revenue to restaurants and merchant partners.
Time saved from Uber Rides
We used Public First’s polling data which asked riders how long their last Uber trip took, and how long the next best alternative would have taken. We combined this with Uber’s internal data on average trip length and trip numbers to estimate the aggregate time saving.
To calculate the value of this time saving to the economy we used Public First’s polling data on the share of trips used to commute to estimate the time saved for commuters and applied third-party estimates of the value of time for commuting in New Zealand.
Uber Eats orders for birthday parties, date nights, and family meals
To calculate the daily number of Uber Eats orders for birthday parties, date nights, and family meals we used Public First’s consumer polling where we asked consumers how often they used Uber Eats for each purpose. We combined this with Uber’s internal data on the number of Uber Eats deliveries to calculate the number of orders per day for each purpose.
Time saved from Uber Eats
To estimate time savings from Uber Eats, we asked consumers what they would have done instead on their last order if Uber Eats and third-party delivery apps didn’t exist. The options were:
- Cook food at home
- Go for a sit down meal at a restaurant
- Not have a meal
- Ordered from a restaurant that does in-house delivery
- Pick up food from a takeout restaurant
We also asked consumers how long they thought it would take to get to their nearest restaurant and takeaway, how long on average it takes them to prepare and cook a meal, and whether they enjoyed cooking. When calculating the time saved from not cooking we took into account that some people enjoyed cooking and therefore weren’t saving time. This polling allowed us to work out the average time saving per Uber Eats order, which we then combined with Uber’s internal data on the number of Uber Eats orders to calculate the total time saved.
Consumer surplus
Following the methodology of Brynjolfsson, Collis and Eggers (2019), we asked app users the following single discrete binary choice question:
“Now imagine you had to choose between the following options. Would you prefer to keep access to [ride hailing apps/food delivery apps] or go without access to [ridesharing apps/food delivery apps] for one month and get paid NZ$XX”
We then computed a logarithmic and linear regression of the results of this poll to derive demand curves and calculate the median consumer surplus, averaging the results of the two models. This was then made annual and scaled by users to calculate the total consumer surplus.
Uber Ride trips that connect with public transport
To estimate this, we first determined the share of rides that users take that connect to public transport using Public First’s polling data, this was then combined with Uber’s internal data on the number of Uber Ride trips to calculate the total number of rides that connected with public transport. Finally, we derive the estimate by computing the ratio of the number of these rides to public transport against the total number of Uber Ride trips.
Cars off the road
To estimate this, we first determined the share of rides that users take that connect to public transport using Public First’s polling data, this was then combined with Uber’s internal data on the number of Uber Ride trips to calculate the total number of rides that connected with public transport. Finally, we derive the estimate by computing the ratio of the number of these rides to public transport against the total number of Uber Ride trips.
Additional family time for driver partners
To estimate the number of additional hours driver partners spend with their families due to Uber, we first analysed responses to a polling question on the impact of Uber earnings on family time. This question assesses whether driving with Uber allows individuals to spend more time each week with their family or other people important to them. We calculated the total additional hours spent with family by combining Uber’s internal data on the number of driver partners with the average additional hours reported in the polling responses.
Value of flexibility to driver partners
As part of the driver survey, we asked the following single discrete binary choice question:
“Imagine you had to choose between one of the following two options:
- Fixed schedule but MORE consistent weekly earnings at X% [lower/higher] level than you do now
- Flexibility to choose your own hours, but earning only the same amount per hour that you do now
Which would you choose?”
X was randomised between 1%, 2%, 5%, 10%, 20%, and 50%.
We then used a linear and logit regression to derive a demand curve, and the total driver surplus per user, averaging the results of the two models. This was then scaled up using data provided by Uber on driver partner numbers.