MADRID: A Spanish court ruled on Thursday that online food delivery group Deliveroo wrongly hired 97 riders as self-employed contractors instead of as regular workers, which costs less for the firm.

Brought by Spain`s social security system, the case involves riders in Valencia on Spain`s eastern Mediterranean coast and it is one of the several being fought by Deliveroo and other gig economy groups like Uber in Spain and various other countries over whether workers should be classified as employees.

Online food platforms have blossomed worldwide, allowing people to order from local restaurants via mobile phones, with dishes delivered to their homes or offices shortly afterwards, often by young bicycle couriers.

Spain`s social security system had claimed unpaid social contributions from Deliveroo after work inspectors ruled that the riders in Valencia werein f act employees of the British online food delivery firm.-AFP