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Sharing Economy Index 2024
Introduction
The sharing economy continues to endure and adapt despite mounting challenges and a shifting regulatory environment. Cities around the world are finding varied success in balancing innovation with local needs and concerns. Tokyo, for instance, has significantly improved its position by finally allowing ride-hailing services, while Barcelona has faced setbacks due to new regulations imposing waiting times and vehicle requirements, which have hindered ride-hailing accessibility. Broader legislative efforts, such as the US Pro Act and proposed European gig economy reforms, remain stalled, reflecting resistance at the national level. However, local authorities are stepping in where national governments have hesitated. San Francisco voters, for example, approved a ride-sharing tax increase, and Paris banned e-scooters following a low-turnout referendum citing safety concerns. At the same time, the sector faces emerging financial pressures, such as the proposal for a value-added tax on online platforms offering ride and flat-sharing, which is set to become mandatory by 2030. These developments underscore the complex and evolving dynamics shaping the future of the sharing economy.
About the research
Consumer Choice Center ranked 60 cities worldwide to help consumers pick the destination that best fits their sharing economy preferences. We examined several variables ranging from ride-hailing, professional car-sharing, car-pooling, and flat-sharing to gym-sharing, ultra-fast delivery apps, and e-scooters.
Our fifth edition of the Sharing Economy Index features the most ambitious update to our methodology yet. It is the first sharing economy composite indicator to apply the Ivanovic-distance method based on academic feedback from the International Conference on Sharing Economy and Contemporary Business Models (IC-SHARE) in Belgrade. In doing so, it tracks local variations in consumer preferences and the impact of discrete regulations in more statistical detail than ever. This edition further updates the analysis using expert assessments, annual reports, online statistics, news pieces reflecting the latest information, and our research.
Results
No city achieved a perfect score in the sharing economy index, underscoring significant room for improvement. Vilnius leads the way with strong public support, flexible policies, and initiatives like the Tech Zity campus, which aim to foster innovation. Buenos Aires and Madrid remain strong performers despite regulatory hurdles, including complex fintech processes and restrictive ride-hailing permits. Conversely, overregulation in cities like Barcelona, with stringent ride-hailing rules, and New York, with heavy-handed rental restrictions, disrupts markets and harms consumers without addressing underlying challenges such as housing shortages or fair competition.
Tokyo’s recent embrace of ride-sharing, albeit under strict oversight, marks a significant milestone, signaling a shift in previously resistant markets. This progress offers hope for cities like Sofia, Athens, and Minsk, where restrictive policies continue to hinder the sharing economy. These developments highlight the sector’s resilience and adaptability, emphasizing the need for balanced policies that encourage innovation while addressing local concerns.
Benefits for Consumers
There are several advantages to choosing one of the top five cities, such as multiple affordable options for ride-hailing, carpooling, and car sharing, certainty and safety for borrowers and lenders engaged in peer-to-peer exchanges, accessible libraries, frequentable gyms anywhere in the city, the convenience of ultra-fast delivery, and an easy means of transportation on hand in the form of e-scooters.
- Top 5 (and top 10) picks offer the best experience all around.
- On a positive note, the availability of sharing economy services continued to increase overall. Far more cities feature carpooling (in Tallinn and Tbilisi, for instance), ultra-fast delivery apps, and e-scooters than ever before. Japan has finally allowed ride-hailing in Tokyo, albeit in a highly restricted, cautious format, while Luxembourg is still contemplating authorization.
- Negatively, the same regulatory barriers in 2023 continue to apply this year, with most accessibility scores remaining unchanged. More worryingly, measures like San Francisco’s Proposition L and the ban on Airbnb in Budapest’s Terezvaros District indicate a trend towards more restrictionist future policies.
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Authors
Emil Panzaru
Research Manager
Amjad Aun
Policy Fellow
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