August 13, 2026, 8:43 am | Read time: 3 minutes
More and more small online retailers are limiting or completely stopping shipping to other EU countries. This mainly affects smaller providers who send only a few orders abroad each year. According to the retailers, new requirements often do not align with the revenue from this business.
Retailers Remove EU Countries from Their Offerings
The background is the new EU Packaging Regulation PPWR, which has been in effect since August 12. Numerous small businesses have already responded by publicly announcing they will limit shipping to other EU states. A wide range of industries are affected, including fishing shops, outdoor retailers, pet supply providers, artisans, wool manufacturers, and musicians.
Many operators post corresponding notices on their websites or on Facebook. They justify the move by stating that the new regulations significantly complicate shipping to EU countries. Instead of implementing the requirements, many retailers are removing individual countries from their shipping lists or halting cross-border shipping entirely.
Those who sell goods to other EU countries must meet additional obligations under the new rules. This includes appointing representatives in the respective destination countries according to current legal requirements. Retailers and associations report that this results in additional costs of several hundred euros per country. For small shops, these expenses can exceed the profit made from the orders.
Many Retailers Complain About Uncertainty
It’s not just about the additional costs. Many companies see the lack of planning security as a major issue.
Small businesses often do not know what requirements will apply in which countries in the future. The necessary reports and actual costs are also often unclear. For companies with only a few orders to individual states, the associated effort is not worthwhile, according to their own assessment.
Therefore, many retailers choose the simplest solution and remove individual EU countries or the entire EU shipping from their offerings.
EU Commission Considers Changes Possible
The EU Commission also sees a need for adjustment in the regulation. They stated that they had already proposed at the end of 2025 to suspend the controversial requirement to appoint representatives for trade within the EU.
Until a decision is made on the proposal, the commission recommends that national authorities take a pragmatic approach to the regulation. Companies should initially be given the opportunity to correct possible violations. This is also noted in the FAQs on the regulation.
However, many retailers do not see this recommendation as sufficient assurance. Since it is not binding, the existing obligations remain in place for now. Some companies, therefore, do not want to rely on goodwill or possible future legal changes.
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Retailers’ Association Sees Risks for Consumers
The Retailers’ Association is critically observing the development. According to the association, small and medium-sized enterprises could withdraw from parts of the European market.
This could have potential consequences for consumers. The association cites less choice in niche products, fewer small providers, and larger market shares for big platforms and retail corporations.
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British Retailers Also Take Action
Not only companies from Germany are reacting to the new requirements. Some British retailers have also announced they will stop shipping to the EU.
They also cite the additional effort and resulting costs as reasons. This raises the question of whether the reform will lead to a simpler internal market in the long term or initially contribute to more small retailers giving up European shipping.