The upcoming €3 (US$3.42) customs charge on low-value imports has already attracted the attention of e-commerce businesses across Europe. But according to logistics experts, the fee itself may not be the biggest challenge. For many UK retailers selling into the European Union, the more significant risk could emerge when products come back.

From July 1, 2026, the European Union will abolish the €150 (US$171) customs exemption for low-value imports arriving from non-EU countries.

Continue reading OPINION: Why UK retailers could end up paying customs twice after July 1 at Parcel and Postal Technology International.

Every parcel scan, failed delivery attempt, full locker and support ticket tells a story. In last-mile delivery, one of the most valuable roles of artificial intelligence (AI) is to connect these operational signals and turn them into better decisions at scale. While AI is quickly becoming a serious topic for the industry, we are still only at the beginning of understanding how much impact it can have when applied with the right data, systems and discipline.

Continue reading OPINION: The importance of being ‘AI-ready’ and five practical use cases in last mile at Parcel and Postal Technology International.

Agentic commerce is moving delivery choice from a human moment to a programmable decision. That has a blunt implication for last-mile delivery: your options must be machine-readable, not merely acceptable to a person.

Today, many delivery options technically exist but are poorly defined at the moment of choice. Data from Tembi shows that around 47% of online retailers in Europe use white-labeled delivery setups only, where the carrier identity is not explicitly shown.

Continue reading OPINION: How agentic commerce is influencing delivery options at the checkout at Parcel and Postal Technology International.

Prior to the full-scale integration of digital technologies, trust constituted the operational infrastructure of the postal sector. It was not an ancillary value, but a functional necessity underpinning the acceptance, processing, transmission and delivery of postal items across national and international networks. Every exchange, whether domestic or cross-border, depended upon a shared assumption of reliability, integrity and continuity.

In institutional terms, trust enabled the system to function as a unified whole. It informed network design, service standards and quality-of-service commitments.

Continue reading OPINION: Trust as critical infrastructure in the postal sector at Parcel and Postal Technology International.

Cleveland Containers discusses the ever changing UK logistics landscape and the factors shaping its future

The UK’s £170bn (US$226bn) logistics sector employs more than 8% of the nation’s workforce, moving goods that keep businesses, retailers and households functioning. With regulatory pressure mounting across environmental standards, border compliance and supply chain transparency, operators face an extremely complex and demanding environment.

Since the UK’s official departure from the European Union in early 2020, Brexit has completely changed the landscape.

Continue reading OPINION: How increased scrutiny is changing UK logistics at Parcel and Postal Technology International.

The rapid evolution of autonomous aerial logistics has introduced new opportunities across global supply chains, and one of the most critical components supporting this transformation is the cargo drone parcel pack. Designed specifically for drone-based delivery systems, these specialized packaging solutions ensure that parcels remain secure, lightweight and aerodynamically compatible with unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). As drone delivery programs transition from pilot projects to scalable logistics solutions, demand for optimized parcel packs continues to expand across sectors such as e-commerce, healthcare, retail and emergency logistics.

Continue reading OPINION: What are the opportunities in the cargo drone parcel pack market? at Parcel and Postal Technology International.

In response to the UK chancellor’s Spring Forecast 2026 on March 3, Rob Carlisle, head of logistics at Argon & Co, reflects on why easing inflation is not translating into easier operating conditions for the UK’s logistics industry – and what policymakers should prioritize to unlock productivity and build long-term resilience. 

This time last year, the UK government unveiled a hefty £625m (US$831m) workforce and infrastructure package, alongside broader capital spending and digital transformation commitments.

Continue reading OPINION: Inflation may be easing, but the logistics industry is still paying the price at Parcel and Postal Technology International.

The European parcel market has shifted from pandemic-era surges to a leaner reality. Across the industry, leaders are moving away from ‘growth at all costs’ toward surgical precision to combat slowed volumes and persistent labor inflation. Profitability now depends on improving revenue quality and executing targeted cost actions to fund long-term transformation.

The 2026 playbook requires connecting commercial choices directly to operational reality. Pricing, product design and network decisions can no longer exist in silos.

Continue reading OPINION: Rebuilding CEP margins through revenue quality and targeted cost action at Parcel and Postal Technology International.

Holger Winklbauer, CEO at International Postal Corporation, explains why global cooperation is the key to meeting today’s challenges

The need for transformation in the postal sector is not new but has accelerated dramatically in recent years, and even more so in recent months. The sector now finds itself at the crossroads of three powerful economic trends that are reshaping global commerce:

• The part of digitalization, which continues to drive a sustained decline in traditional mail volumes and is challenging the traditional postal business model;
• Decarbonization, driven by growing consumer demand for greater environmental accountability and low-carbon delivery options;
• The emergence of a new global trade landscape, marked by the development of different supply chain models, adjusted to the latest market conditions, and additional regulatory requirements and barriers that complicate cross-border transactions.

Continue reading OPINION: The importance of collaboration in overcoming postal challenges at Parcel and Postal Technology International.

As we move into 2026, parcel and logistics networks are entering a transformative phase. The past few years have highlighted the fragility of global networks, with pandemic disruptions, geopolitical tensions and energy volatility exposing vulnerabilities in traditional models. Scale alone is no longer the goal, but it’s now resilience, flexibility and sustainability that define success.

From automation to energy security, the forces shaping the sector are converging to create a new operating reality.

Continue reading OPINION: Five key trends that will dominate the logistics landscape in 2026 at Parcel and Postal Technology International.