In February, Uber announced ambitious plans will launch in seven new European markets in 2026, but now reports the Financial Times that five of those launches are on hold. Launches from countries that have been paused include Austria, Norway and Greece.
Uber appeared to confirm the decision to the Financial Times, saying recent launches in Finland and Denmark had been a “huge success” so 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 Rejected Uber’s takeover bid for 10 billion euros In May.
It appears that Uber is still hoping to make the deal happen. An industry source said pausing further expansion could help ease antitrust concerns around a potential acquisition, especially since Delivery Hero operates delivery services in several of the targeted countries.
