Uber has released its annual lost-and-found index, and for the millions of Britons who rely on ride-hailing to get to work, the items left behind tell a story of modern life. Among the usual phones and wallets, the list includes live butterflies, a jar of breast milk, and a full-sized keyboard. For the workers who drive these cars, this is another reminder of the gig economy they work in: a world where the churn of passengers is constant, and the pay is often precarious.
The cost of replacing a lost phone can take a week’s wages for a driver, while the value of a breast milk jar is immeasurable. At a time when regional inequality is widening, and the price of a pint of milk has risen by 10p in the last year, this list is a snapshot of the absurdities and anxieties of the 'Real Economy'.
