his article is based on the guidance available as of 18th June 2026. Customs procedures and charges may change as further guidance is released by Royal Mail, EU customs authorities and other relevant organisations. We'll keep this page updated whenever new information becomes available.
Unfortunately, some changes are coming to imports into the European Union from 1st July 2026. Before anyone starts worrying, we wanted to explain what's changing in plain English and let you know what we're doing at Run & Fly to make the process as smooth and transparent as possible.
So, What's Changing?
Based on the latest guidance available at the time of writing, the European Union is introducing new customs procedures for parcels entering EU countries from outside the EU, including orders sent from the UK.
Current guidance indicates that, from 1st July 2026, orders valued under €150 may be subject to a flat customs duty charge of €3 per item type within the parcel.
The important part is that the proposed fee applies per line item, rather than per parcel.
For example, based on the current guidance:
✨ One pair of dungarees = €3 duty
✨ One pair of dungarees and one pair of trousers = €6 duty
✨ One pair of dungarees, one cardigan and one pair of socks = €9 duty
As you can imagine, this could add up quite quickly depending on what's in your basket.
The EU has described these changes as part of wider customs reforms. As the new system is introduced, we'll continue to monitor any updates and adjust our shipping process where necessary.
What Does This Mean for Me?
Previously, many international orders were sent using what's known as Delivery Duty Unpaid (DDU).
In simple terms, we'd send your parcel and, if customs charges were due, your local postal service or courier would contact you before delivery to collect payment.
Sometimes everything went smoothly.
Sometimes customers received unexpected customs bills.
Sometimes parcels sat in customs waiting for payment.
And occasionally parcels were refused and made a rather expensive journey all the way back to us.
Not exactly ideal for anyone involved!
What We're Doing Differently
To make things clearer and reduce unexpected customs charges, Run & Fly will be moving to a Postal Delivery Duties Paid (PDDP) process for many of our EU orders.
Where applicable, customs duties, handling fees and other import charges will be collected before your parcel is dispatched.
The biggest benefits are:
💚 No unexpected customs bills arriving after your order has been shipped.
💚 Faster customs processing in many cases.
💚 Less chance of parcels being delayed, refused or returned.
💚 Greater transparency about the overall cost of your order.
Why Can't You Just Calculate Everything at Checkout?
We really wish it was that simple!
The challenge is that customs charges aren't based on just one thing. They can vary depending on:
✨ The number of items in your order.
✨ The value of your order.
✨ The styles included in your order.
✨ Where those garments were manufactured.
✨ The country your parcel is being sent to.
Because of this, it's not always possible for us to know the exact customs charges before your order has been processed.
We'll calculate these charges as accurately as possible using the information available at the time of your order.
During the transition to the new system, one of two things may happen:
💚 If the actual customs charges are lower than expected, we'll automatically refund the difference.
💚 If the actual customs charges are higher than anticipated, we'll contact you before dispatch with the exact amount. You'll be able to choose whether you'd like to continue with your order or cancel it for a full refund before it enters our fulfilment process.
We're certainly not doing this to make extra money.
As a small independent business, our aim is simply to recover the costs charged to us while making the process as fair, transparent and straightforward as possible.
The more orders we send under the new system, the more accurate our estimates will become.
We'll Keep You Updated
We'll continue to monitor the situation closely and update our Shipping Policy as further guidance is released by Royal Mail, EU customs authorities and other relevant organisations.
As always, if you have any questions about shipping, customs charges or your order, just drop us an email at hello@runandfly.co.uk. Our team is always happy to help.
Thank you, as always, for supporting our small independent business. Every order helps us continue creating colourful, ethically made clothing that celebrates individuality and makes getting dressed a little more fun. 💚
