A pizza shop owner is one of almost a hundred takeaway bosses threatening to leave 'Just Eat' en masse this Friday over a 'loophole' that's costing them hundreds.
The local Merseyside business - who have banded together in a WhatsApp group - are threatening to leave Just Eat as a result of the issue, which stems from the discovery that customers could receive a refund from Just Eat by claiming their orders had not arrived, leaving the takeaway owners to foot the bill, allegedly without their claims being properly checked.
Edris Nosrati, owner of Lazio Pizza in Old Swan, told the Liverpool Echo: "It is absolutely unfair how they give the refunds.
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"For example I am delivering one item, at £7.20, a chicken burger, not including the delivery charge at 30 percent.
"There is a refund given and the reason is 'missing items', when there was only one item on the order, but the funny thing is Just Eat are still charging us.
"This is since the rules changed around four weeks ago they can ask for a refund for any reason and take all the money back.
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"Some of us raised it and then other people checked their invoices and realised the same had happened to them.
"At the moment every single takeaway the majority of the takings is through Just Eat, around 60 to 70 percent.
"We are small businesses and now we are having to reduce the staff, reduce the delivery drivers, and if you do that those people are having to go and claim benefits."
The issues began after Just Eat removed the option for takeaway owners to challenge a refund request prior to the money returning to the customer.
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Just Eat said takeaway owners can still challenge refunds retrospectively, and the money would be returned if it was a fraudulent claim.
However, when the Liverpool Echo asked how the company would investigate claims of missing items or cold food days or weeks after the fact, it could not provide any examples.
Masoud Shams, owner of Napoli Pizza in Bootle, Merseyside, whose business had lost around £200, said: "It is wrong, they are not giving away their own money they are giving away small businesses' money.
"We are struggling in this pandemic, we have staff to pay and all other bills.
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"I am even thinking closing Just Eat because is better to close it before I get bankrupt."
A spokesperson for the company told the Liverpool Echo: "Just Eat is only successful if our restaurant partners are successful and we have a track record of helping restaurants prosper.
"The recent measures we've put in place is to ensure an even fairer refunds process for all, such as increasing the time for restaurants to raise any disputes.
"We actively take steps to ensure our partners are fairly compensated whenever we're made aware of any activity relating to non-genuine refunds.
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"We're keen to maintain an open dialogue with the restaurants on our platform and continue to review our policies and processes in this space to support both customers and restaurants alike."
LADbible have contacted Just Eat for comment.
Featured Image Credit: Liverpool EchoTopics: Food