Traxlo, the platform connecting gig workers with retail businesses, has announced Manchester as its next “innovation hub” in the UK, following strong interest from retailers, independent store owners and franchise operators looking for new ways to control rising labour costs.
Manchester was on Traxlo’s list as a potential hub due to its high concentration of independent and franchise operators, strong convenience sector and reputation for entrepreneurial retail. But it was the store owners themselves who heard about Traxlo launching in the UK and got in touch direct that has sped up the company’s expansion into Manchester. These store owners are keen to explore new operating models to remain competitive in a challenging cost environment.
Store owners and retailers across the city will now be able to implement Traxlo’s outcome-priced, “pay-per-task” model, enabling them to manage essential store operations such as shelf replenishment, gap scanning and inventory control without the fixed costs and inflexibility of traditional staffing.
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The move comes as supermarkets and convenience retailers face increasing pressure from higher wage costs, staff shortages and unpredictable demand. Early conversations with Manchester retail operators highlighted a growing appetite for more flexible, cost-efficient workforce solutions that protect margins while maintaining store standards.
For the past three and a half years, Traxlo has helped European grocery retailers transform how they source, price and verify operational work. The platform is now being adopted by Manchester retailers who want greater control over labour spend and the ability to scale staffing up or down in real time.
From today, independently owned convenience stores, franchisees and multi-site operators across Manchester can access Traxlo’s flexible model.
The launch also reflects a wider structural shift in how operational work is sourced. According to the European Parliament, 43m Europeans are expected to work via digital labour platforms by 2025.
In its first three years, Traxlo claims to have worked with 60% of Europe’s largest grocery and commerce players, delivering more than 300,000 completed tasks. The most frequently completed tasks include:
- Shelf restocking and replenishment
- Gap scanning
- Pallet handling
- Inventory control
- Product expiry management
- E-commerce order picking
These are precisely the operational activities many Manchester retailers say are becoming harder and more expensive to staff consistently. For local operators, the platform delivers immediate commercial benefits including:
- Lower labour and recruitment costs
- Greater control over staffing spend
- Improved shelf availability and store performance
- Reduced pressure on core staff
- Flexible earning opportunities for local residents
Paul Vezelis, CEO and Co-founder of Traxlo, said: “Manchester’s independent and franchise retailers are among the most innovative in the UK. Many are actively looking for new ways to manage rising employment costs while keeping stores running at a high standard.
“We’re seeing strong early interest from operators who want more control over labour spend and the flexibility to respond to daily operational needs. Our pay-per-task model helps them reduce fixed costs, protect margins and run more efficient stores without the risk of over-staffing.”
Traxlo’s process is designed to be simple and low risk for retailers:
- Retailers (at store or HQ level) set task pricing in advance with Traxlo’s guidance
- Tasks typically range from £3 to £50, with multiple tasks available per store per day
- Tasks are distributed locally via Traxlo’s gig worker app (tasku.app)
- Verified, trained local gig workers choose tasks they are qualified to complete
- Traxlo manages right-to-work checks, training and quality control, removing legal and administrative burden from retailers.
Traxlo was founded in 2020 in Stockholm, Sweden and is now headquartered in Vilnius, Lithuania. It has 11 employees and over 30,000 gig workers registered as “taskers.” Clients include Carrefour (the French retail brand operating in over 40 countries); REWE Group (major German-based European retail group of supermarkets); RIMI (part of Salling Group, Denmark’s largest retailer) and Żabka, one of Poland’s largest convenience store chains with thousands of locations nationwide.
