Key takeaways
UK fashion brands selling into the EU are facing a new cost: a handling fee of around €2 applied per parcel on many EU-bound orders shipped from the UK. On its own it sounds small, but at scale, and on lower-value orders, it changes the maths for both direct-to-consumer and wholesale.
What's changing
Post-Brexit customs handling on parcels moving from the UK into the EU now commonly carries a per-shipment handling charge in the region of €2, levied by carriers and postal operators to cover customs processing. It sits on top of any duties, VAT and existing shipping costs.
Who it affects most
DTC brands
For direct-to-consumer orders, the fee lands at the worst possible moment: checkout. Unexpected costs are one of the biggest drivers of cart abandonment, so an unclear landed cost can quietly cost you the sale.
Wholesale brands
For wholesale, the impact is on landed-cost calculations and sell-in pricing. Buyers work to tight margins, so anything that muddies the delivered cost of goods makes negotiations harder and can slow reorders.
What UK fashion brands should do
Three moves protect both conversion and margin. Show fully landed costs up front so there are no surprises at checkout. Offer DDP (delivered duty paid) shipping so customers aren't hit with fees on delivery. And, for brands with EU volume, evaluate EU-based fulfilment or a stronger wholesale route into the region to sidestep per-parcel friction entirely.
How Fabrik helps
Fabrik works with fashion and footwear brands on exactly this intersection of pricing, logistics and channel strategy. We rework landed-cost messaging, DTC checkout experience, and wholesale sell-in so a €2 fee never costs you the order. If the EU is a growth market for your brand, let's make sure the route in is built to convert.
