Changes to Orders Shipped to the European Union
Important Update – Effective 1 July 2026
EU customs regulations are changing from 1 July 2026. These changes may affect orders shipped into the European Union from outside the EU.
From this date, low-value consignments imported into the EU may be subject to a new customs duty. This is part of wider EU customs reform and applies to e-commerce shipments entering the EU from non-EU countries.
What Is Changing?
From 1 July 2026, the EU is introducing a temporary customs duty of €3 on low-value goods imported into the EU.
This duty applies to consignments valued at €150 or less and is calculated by item category or customs classification within the shipment, rather than simply by the number of individual products ordered.
This means that an order containing several different types of products may attract more than one €3 charge.
Examples
|
Example Order |
Indicative Customs Duty |
|
1 T-shirt |
€3 |
|
5 T-shirts |
€3 |
|
1 T-shirt + 1 CD |
€6 |
|
1 T-shirt + 1 CD + 1 Vinyl Record |
€9 |
These examples are provided for guidance only. The final amount depends on how the products in your order are classified for customs purposes.
What Does This Mean for Customers?
If your order is being shipped to an EU country from outside the EU, additional customs charges may apply.
For orders placed from 1 July 2026, we will aim to show applicable duties and taxes at checkout wherever possible. Where applicable, these costs will be included within the duties and taxes displayed before you complete your purchase.
Where duties and taxes are collected at checkout, your order will be shipped using a duties-paid service.
Important: Any duties, taxes or import charges collected at checkout will be clearly displayed before you complete your purchase. We cannot accept responsibility for customs charges applied after dispatch and where those charges were not collected during checkout.
Orders Placed Before 1 July 2026
If you placed your order before 1 July 2026 but your parcel enters the EU on or after 1 July 2026, the new customs rules may still apply.
In some cases, if duties were not collected at checkout, the delivery carrier or customs representative may contact you to arrange payment before delivery can be completed.
Why Is This Happening?
The EU is changing the way low-value e-commerce imports are treated for customs purposes. The new rules are intended to modernise customs procedures, improve compliance checks and apply customs duties more consistently to goods entering the EU.
Please Note
Customs rules and carrier processes may continue to develop as the new EU system is implemented. We will update this page if further guidance becomes available.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are these charges set by the retailer?
No. These charges arise from customs and import requirements introduced by EU authorities and are outside our control.
Will every order be affected?
Not necessarily. Whether charges apply, and the amount payable, will depend on factors including the destination country, where the order is shipped from, the value of the goods, the customs classification of the products and whether duties and taxes are collected at checkout.
How can I see what I will pay?
Any duties and taxes to be collected will be clearly displayed during checkout before you complete your purchase.
What if I am asked to pay additional charges when my order arrives?
Where duties and taxes have been collected at checkout, you should not normally be asked to pay these charges again.
Where duties and taxes were not collected at checkout, any customs duties, import charges, clearance fees or similar costs assessed on import remain the responsibility of the recipient.
Can I get a refund for customs duties or import charges?
Customs duties, import charges and customs clearance fees are imposed by customs authorities and delivery carriers. As a result, we are generally unable to refund these amounts once they have been paid.