Important Update for EU Customers: New Customs Rules from 1 July 2026

We want to keep our EU customers fully informed about an important change that will affect online orders shipped from the UK to countries within the European Union.

From 1 July 2026, the EU will remove the current €150 customs duty exemption for low-value Business-to-Consumer e-commerce parcels. This exemption is sometimes known as the de minimis threshold.

This means that parcels valued at €150 or less may no longer be duty-free when entering the EU. A new flat customs duty of €3 per individual item classification will apply to qualifying low-value goods.

What is changing?

Until now, many low-value parcels entering the EU with a value of €150 or less have benefited from a customs duty exemption. From 1 July 2026, this exemption will be removed.

Under the new rules:

• Low-value EU parcels may become subject to customs duty.
• A flat €3 customs duty may apply per individual item classification.
• The duty is non-refundable, even if an item is later returned, refused, or undelivered.
• VAT processes under IOSS are expected to remain unchanged, but customs duty may still apply.
• Electronic customs data requirements will increase, including product identifiers such as SKU, GTIN, EAN, UPC, or manufacturer reference codes.

Will this affect my order?

If you are ordering from a country within the European Union, this change may affect your order from 1 July 2026 onwards.

The exact impact will depend on:

• Your delivery country
• The products in your order
• The value of your order
• The delivery service selected
• Whether duties are collected at checkout or by the delivery partner before delivery

We will continue working with our delivery partners to make this process as clear and straightforward as possible for our EU customers.

Will I pay customs duty at checkout?

In many cases, customs duty may be collected at checkout using a delivery method known as Postal Delivered Duties Paid, also called PDDP.

When PDDP is available for your destination, applicable VAT and customs duties can be calculated and collected when you place your order. This helps reduce the chance of unexpected customs charges when your parcel reaches your country.

However, PDDP availability can vary by destination and delivery service. If PDDP is not available for your country or selected shipping method, duties may instead be collected directly from you by the local delivery partner before or at delivery.

What about VAT and IOSS?

For EU customers, VAT may continue to be handled through the Import One Stop Shop, commonly known as IOSS, where applicable.

The important difference is that IOSS mainly relates to VAT. From 1 July 2026, customs duty may also apply to low-value goods, even where VAT has already been dealt with at checkout.

Why might the charge appear per item?

The new EU duty is expected to apply per individual item classification rather than simply as one charge per parcel. This means that an order containing multiple different products may have duty calculated across more than one item line.

We will update our checkout and shipping information as needed so customers can understand any applicable charges before placing an order wherever possible.

Do returns remove the duty?

No. Based on the information provided by Royal Mail, the new customs duty is expected to be non-refundable, even if an item is returned, refused, or undelivered.

Because of this, we strongly recommend checking your order details, delivery address, and product selection carefully before completing your purchase.

What are product identifiers?

As part of the upcoming customs changes, more detailed product information will be required in electronic customs data.

These identifiers may include:

• Product ID / SKU: our product reference, SKU, listing ID, or catalogue number
• Reference ID / MID: manufacturer product references or standard product identifiers such as GTIN, EAN, or UPC codes

These requirements are expected to be optional from July 2026 and mandatory from November 2026. This is mainly an operational change for retailers, carriers, and customs systems, but it may help improve customs accuracy and parcel processing.

Will delivery take longer?

We will continue to dispatch EU orders as efficiently as possible. However, as customs processes change, some orders may require additional checks or processing by customs authorities or local delivery partners.

To help avoid delays, please make sure your delivery address, contact details, and email address are correct when placing your order.

How we are preparing

We are reviewing our EU checkout, shipping, customs data, and delivery options to make sure we are ready for the new requirements.

Our aim is to:

• Show applicable charges as clearly as possible at checkout
• Use the correct customs information for each product
• Reduce unexpected delivery charges where possible
• Keep EU customers updated as carrier processes become clearer

What should EU customers do?

If you are ordering from the EU, please keep the following in mind:

• From 1 July 2026, a customs duty may apply to low-value orders.
• Where available, duties may be collected at checkout.
• If duties are not collected at checkout, your local delivery partner may request payment before delivery.
• Customs duty may not be refundable if an order is returned or undelivered.
• Please check your order and delivery details carefully before purchasing.

Final note

These changes are being introduced by the EU and apply across carriers, not only Royal Mail or Parcelforce Worldwide.

We understand that customs changes can be confusing, and we will continue to update our customers as more information becomes available. Our goal is to keep EU ordering as smooth, transparent, and reliable as possible.

Thank you for your continued support.