UK Retailers Not Shipping to Europe

Why UK shops stopped shipping to Europe after Brexit

Before Brexit, UK retailers could ship to EU countries with minimal overhead — EU customs rules did not apply, and deliveries were treated like domestic UK shipments. That changed completely in January 2021.

Now, every UK-to-EU shipment is an international export. Retailers must:

• Complete customs declarations for every parcel
• Provide commercial invoices with commodity codes and declared values
• Handle VAT obligations in EU destination countries (or use the EU's One Stop Shop scheme)
• Manage EU-side returns under international import rules

Many UK retailers — especially smaller ones, and some large chains — concluded this was too complex or too costly and simply removed EU countries from their delivery options.

UK shops that commonly don't ship to Europe

These are among the most frequently searched by European customers who hit a dead end at checkout:

• ASOS — fashion and accessories. Ships to some EU countries but often excludes products or charges high fees.
• Next — clothing and homeware. International delivery restricted on many lines.
• Currys — UK's largest electronics retailer. No EU delivery.
• Argos — electronics, toys, home. UK-only delivery.
• John Lewis — home, electronics, fashion. Most items UK delivery only.
• Marks & Spencer — clothing and homeware. International shipping is limited.
• Amazon UK — many marketplace sellers restrict EU delivery. PostUK works around this.
• Independent UK stores — thousands of UK online shops never added international shipping or removed it after Brexit.

PostUK works with any UK retailer that ships to a UK address.

Customs and VAT on UK parcels to Europe

Since Brexit, UK-to-EU shipments are subject to customs rules at the destination country. As the recipient, you are responsible for any import VAT and customs duty charged. General rules across the EU:

• Import VAT: applies to most goods at your country's standard VAT rate (e.g. 23% in Ireland, 21% in Spain, 20% in France).
• Customs duty: applies to goods valued over €150. Below this threshold, duty is generally exempt.
• Handling fee: some couriers charge a small fee for processing customs paperwork.

These charges are separate from PostUK forwarding costs. See our customs and duties guide for more detail.

Frequently asked questions

Why do UK retailers not ship to Europe anymore?

Brexit introduced customs declarations and VAT obligations for UK-to-EU shipments. Many retailers removed EU delivery to avoid the complexity. PostUK bypasses this with a UK forwarding address.

Which UK shops don't ship to Europe?

ASOS, Next, Currys, Argos, John Lewis, M&S, and thousands of UK independent stores restrict or stopped EU delivery after Brexit. PostUK works with all of them.

How much does forwarding cost?

Membership starts from £7.99/month. Forwarding is paid per parcel based on weight, size, and destination. Use Quick Quote to estimate costs before ordering.

Do I pay customs on UK parcels to Europe?

EU import VAT applies to most parcels. Customs duty applies to goods over €150. Charges vary by country and are separate from PostUK prices. See our customs guide.