Sending a parcel abroad from the UK is cheaper than most people expect and more paperwork than most people expect. Since the UK left the EU customs union, every shipment to Europe needs a customs declaration - the same as a parcel to Australia. Get the paperwork right and the cost question becomes straightforward. ## Your main options **Royal Mail.** The default for small and light parcels. International Standard is untracked and cheapest; International Tracked, Tracked and Signed, and Signed For add visibility and proof at increasing cost. Strengths: post office counters everywhere, excellent for items under 2kg, integrates with the destination postal operator for final-mile delivery to residential addresses worldwide. Weakness: slower than express and limited recourse on untracked services. **Parcelforce Worldwide.** Royal Mail's parcel arm, better suited to heavier items and offering express international products with fuller tracking and higher compensation options. **Evri International.** Typically among the lowest headline prices for consumer parcels to Europe, working through partner networks for final-mile delivery. Best value for non-urgent, moderate-value items where a few extra days does not matter. **DPD.** Strong European road network with good tracking and predictable transit to EU destinations, often the best balance of price and reliability for parcels of a few kilograms to Europe. **DHL Express, UPS and FedEx.** Express air services with the fastest transit and the strongest tracking. Expensive at retail counter rates, considerably cheaper through a broker or a business account. Best for urgent, valuable or heavier shipments. **Parcel brokers and comparison sites.** These resell carrier capacity at bulk rates. For anything above a couple of kilograms they are usually cheaper than booking direct with the same carrier, sometimes dramatically so. The trade-off is that customer service sits with the broker, not the carrier, which can slow problem resolution. ## The rough cost hierarchy For a typical 1-2kg parcel to Western Europe: | Option | Relative cost | Typical transit | |---|---|---| | Royal Mail International Standard | Lowest | 3-7 working days, untracked | | Evri International | Low | 4-8 working days, tracked | | Royal Mail International Tracked | Low-mid | 3-6 working days | | DPD Classic | Mid | 2-4 working days | | Parcelforce Global | Mid | 2-5 working days | | DHL/UPS/FedEx Express | Highest | 1-3 working days | For destinations outside Europe the same ordering broadly holds, with transit times roughly doubling for economy services. Always price your actual parcel - volumetric weight, destination and current fuel surcharges move these numbers considerably. ## Volumetric weight: the cost most people miss Carriers charge on the greater of actual weight and volumetric weight, calculated from the box dimensions. A large box of pillows is priced as though it were heavy. Reducing box size is usually the fastest way to cut an international quote - often more effective than switching carriers. Measure the packed box, not the empty one, and use the carrier's stated divisor to check which weight will apply. ## Customs paperwork since Brexit Every parcel leaving the UK for anywhere - including the EU - needs a customs declaration. **CN22** is the short form used for lower-value items; **CN23** is the fuller form for higher-value shipments, usually accompanied by a commercial invoice. Most online booking flows generate these for you from the details you enter. You must provide: - An accurate **description of contents** - "clothing: two cotton t-shirts," not "goods" or "gift" - The **value** in the stated currency, honestly declared - The **country of origin** of the goods - A **commodity code** (HS code) where required, which is increasingly expected and speeds clearance considerably - Your **EORI number** if you are shipping commercially - The recipient's **phone number and email**, which carriers use to collect duty and arrange delivery Undervaluing or writing "gift" on a commercial shipment invalidates insurance and risks seizure. It also fails more often than it works, because customs authorities compare declared values against the marketplace listing. ## Duty, VAT and who pays For most destinations, the recipient pays import VAT and any duty before delivery. Two consequences: - **Tell the recipient in advance.** Unexpected charges are the leading reason international parcels are refused and returned. - **Consider DDP** (delivered duty paid) where the carrier offers it. You pay the charges upfront and the recipient receives the parcel with no demand. It costs more but eliminates the biggest cause of failed international delivery. For EU-bound commercial shipments, the IOSS scheme allows sellers to collect VAT at checkout for lower-value consignments, giving the buyer a clean, charge-free delivery. If you sell regularly into the EU, this is worth setting up. ## Prohibited and restricted items Every carrier and every destination has its own list, and they differ. Frequently restricted from the UK: - Lithium batteries shipped loose, power banks and vapes - Aerosols, perfumes and nail varnish (flammable liquids) - Meat, dairy and fresh produce into most non-EU destinations, and into the EU under biosecurity rules - Alcohol and tobacco without specific arrangements - Seeds, plants and certain wooden items Check both the carrier's prohibited list and the destination's import rules - a carrier may accept something that customs will destroy. ## Practical ways to cut the cost **Compare through a broker but sanity-check direct.** For light items Royal Mail direct is often unbeatable; for anything heavier a broker usually wins. **Right-size the packaging.** Volumetric weight rewards a smaller box more than any discount will. **Choose tracked only when it matters.** Untracked standard post is genuinely cheap and adequate for low-value items you can afford to replace - but it offers minimal recourse. **Consolidate.** Two parcels to the same address cost far more than one combined parcel of the same total weight. **Book online, not at the counter.** Online rates are almost always lower than walk-in retail prices, across every UK carrier. **Print your own label and paperwork** where the service allows it, and attach the customs documents in a clear wallet on the outside. ## Bottom line For light parcels, Royal Mail direct is hard to beat. For a few kilograms to Europe, DPD or a broker-booked express service usually wins. For urgent or valuable goods, pay for express and declare accurately. Whatever you choose, shrink the box, complete the CN22 or CN23 honestly with a proper description and HS code, and tell the recipient about duty before it becomes a returned parcel.