Rome's delivery riders work through record heat as heatwave poses survival test

On Wednesday, as temperatures soared across Rome and much of Europe, delivery riders dashed through the capital's streets during the most dangerous hours of the day. Activists armed with thermal imaging cameras detected extreme surface temperatures in Rome's public spaces. "You have to work," one rider told reporters, capturing the economic pressure that forces gig workers to ignore heat warnings even as public health officials urge people to stay indoors.

The scene in Rome reflects a broader tension across Europe's heatwave: while governments issue red alerts and close public spaces, precarious workers—those without formal employment contracts or paid leave—face the choice between exposure and lost income. The Guardian and other international outlets have documented similar patterns across France, Spain and Italy, where heat-related deaths have mounted. For Rome specifically, the visibility of delivery workers labouring in peak heat underscores how the capital's informal and gig economy operates outside the protections that formal employment offers.