EU Shipping Is Getting Harder. Here’s the Smarter Way to Sell in Europe

 

EU

For UK brands selling into the EU, the rules of the game have changed.

Rising admin fees, increasing regulatory friction and more complex customs processes are quietly turning cross-border shipping into a growth blocker — not just an operational headache. What used to be a relatively simple “ship from the UK into Europe” model is now slower, more expensive and less predictable.

And the pressure keeps growing.

For many brands, the question is no longer “How do we ship into the EU?”
It’s now “Why are we still shipping into the EU at all?”

The real problem with cross-border EU shipping

Since Brexit, UK brands selling to EU customers have had to deal with:

  • Additional admin fees and customs charges (more expected to come up in 2026)
  • More complex compliance and regulatory requirements
  • Slower delivery times and border delays
  • Higher shipping and handling costs
  • A worse customer experience at checkout and post-purchase with unclear information, unexpected costs

Even when these costs don’t show up directly on your P&L, they show up in conversion rates, customer satisfaction and repeat purchase rates.

And with further regulatory tightening and enforcement across the EU, this friction is only increasing.

Eu


The smarter model: fulfil from inside the EU

The most effective way to remove this complexity is simple:

Move your stock into the EU and fulfil orders from within the EU.

By stocking your products inside the EU:

  • You avoid repeated customs clearance on every order

  • You remove EU admin fees and regulatory friction from day-to-day shipping

  • You speed up delivery times dramatically

  • You reduce landed costs per order

  • You create a smoother, more local customer experience

This is exactly what ILG enables through its European fulfilment operation in Poland.

Why Poland?

Location
Location matters. A lot.
ILG’s EU fulfilment centres are strategically located in Western Poland, offering a unique combination:

  • Close proximity to Germany (Europe’s largest eCommerce market)
  • Easy access to Leipzig, home to several major carrier hubs
  • Excellent road infrastructure across Europe
  • Direct access to major rail freight routes, including the main China–Europe rail corridor

In short: it’s one of the most efficient logistics positions in the entire EU.

Lower costs without compromising service
Poland is also one of the most cost-efficient places in the EU to operate fulfilment at scale.
Compared to many Western European countries:

  • Labour and operating costs are significantly lower

  • Warehouse capacity is expanding rapidly

  • The workforce is highly skilled and logistics-experienced

  • Infrastructure investment is accelerating

This means brands can reduce fulfilment costs while improving delivery speed and service levels.

Sustainable shipping

Built for sustainability, not just scale

ILG’s new EU fulfilment centre is not just bigger; it’s greener.
The 450,000 sq. ft facility is:

  • BREEAM “Outstanding” rated

  • Designed to reduce carbon emissions by up to 50%

  • Built with energy-efficient lighting and sustainability-first systems

  • Designed with biodiversity and environmental impact in mind

So you’re not just fixing Brexit-related problems — you’re also building a more sustainable supply chain for the future.

Proof in practice: Little Green Radicals

Children’s clothing brand Little Green Radicals moved their EU fulfilment to Poland with ILG to overcome Brexit-related barriers and improve service to European customers.

The result?

  • Faster EU delivery times

  • Lower friction for customers

  • Simplified operations

  • A future-proof EU growth model

little green radical

The bottom line

If you’re still shipping into the EU from the UK, you’re:

  • Paying more than you need to
  • Moving slower than your competitors
  • And making growth harder than it has to be

ILG makes that transition fast, simple, and commercially viable.