Parcel Forwarding from the UK to Italy
Parcel Forwarding from the UK to Italy
Italy is one of Europe's strongest consumer markets with a genuine appetite for British brands, British fashion and goods that carry that particular quality association with heritage retail. The problem is that most retailers based in Britain either do not ship to Italy at all, or charge international rates that make smaller orders hard to justify. A free Send2Hub forwarding address at our warehouse in Stoke-on-Trent solves that. You shop from any British store as a domestic customer, we receive everything and forward it to Rome, Milan, Florence, Naples or wherever you need it sent.
Why Italian Shoppers Buy from British Retailers
The first reason is access. Boots, Primark, Dunelm, Marks and Spencer Food and hundreds of independent brands simply do not ship to Italy. Without a forwarding address in Britain, Italian shoppers cannot buy from them at all.
The second reason is price. Sterling pricing on heritage brands and premium products is frequently more competitive than what Italian distributors charge for the same items. When the exchange rate favours the euro, the saving over Italian alternatives can be significant even after accounting for customs charges.
The third is range. Italian stockists carry limited selections of many British brands. The full product range, limited editions and seasonal lines are usually only available through retailers in Britain itself.
British Brands That Italian Shoppers Order via Send2Hub
Heritage clothing and outdoor wear
Barbour waxed jackets and quilted gilets have a devoted following in Italy, where British country style resonates strongly. Hunter Wellington boots, Clarks footwear and Hackett London are consistent favourites. The full range and most competitive pricing are found through retailers in Britain — Barbour.com, Clarks.co.uk and John Lewis all deliver to a British address without any issues.
Fashion and clothing
Next, Reiss, Ted Baker, ASOS and Marks and Spencer are popular with Italian buyers. Marks and Spencer knitwear and formalwear have a strong following — the quality is hard to match at the same price point from Italian retailers. Primark has no international online store but is accessible through a forwarding address and our Shop and Ship service.
Skincare and beauty
Boots No7 is one of the most requested products from Italian customers using Send2Hub. It is only sold through Boots, which does not ship to Italy. Liz Earle, Elemis, Charlotte Tilbury and REN Clean Skincare are all popular forwards. Note that perfumes and aerosol products cannot be forwarded — they are on our prohibited list. Non-aerosol skincare such as creams, serums, oils and cleansers are fine. See our guide to British skincare brands for international buyers.
Homeware and ceramics
Emma Bridgewater pottery, Portmeirion tableware and The White Company homeware have a following among Italian buyers who appreciate British craftsmanship. These brands are either unavailable or significantly more expensive in Italy than at source. Ceramics and glassware need careful handling — read our guide to shipping fragile items from Britain before ordering anything breakable.
British food and grocery
Non-perishable British food products are regularly forwarded to Italy by British expats and Italian families with connections to Britain. Marks and Spencer Food, Fortnum and Mason, Yorkshire Tea, Marmite and British biscuit brands are among the most commonly requested. Always check that products are non-perishable and comply with EU food import rules before ordering.
Second-hand and vintage via eBay and Vinted
eBay and Vinted in Britain carry enormous inventories of vintage clothing, pre-owned designer goods, football shirts and collectibles that Italian buyers cannot access directly because most sellers only ship domestically. A Send2Hub forwarding address opens all of it. See our guide to buying from Vinted in Britain internationally.
Sale Events Worth Planning Around
British sale events offer deeper discounts than Italian equivalents and are worth planning around. Boxing Day on 26 December consistently produces the steepest annual reductions on fashion, homeware and beauty. Boots runs Advantage Card member sale events several times a year with 20 to 25 percent off beauty including No7. Black Friday discounts on electronics and fashion from retailers in Britain are often more aggressive than those available in Italy.
The smart approach is to time purchases around these events, hold everything in free storage at Send2Hub and consolidate into one shipment when everything has arrived. This reduces both the shipping cost and the number of customs handling charges you pay into Italy.
How to Order and Forward to Italy
Register free at send2hub.com/login. Your personalised forwarding address at our Stoke-on-Trent warehouse is ready straight away, with your unique unit number. No monthly fee on the Individual and Business plans.
Shop from any retailer in Britain and enter your Send2Hub address at checkout. Every parcel that arrives is photographed, weighed and measured the same day. You see the arrival photo and full details in your dashboard straight away before deciding what to do next.
When all your orders have arrived, request consolidation from your dashboard. One shipment to Italy instead of several individual parcels typically cuts shipping costs by 40 to 60 percent. Free storage: 30 days Individual, 45 days Business, 60 days Premium. See our parcel consolidation page for details.
Compare live rates across Royal Mail, Parcelforce, DHL, FedEx, UPS and DPD. DHL is well established in Italy and a reliable option for express delivery to Rome, Milan and other major cities. Use our shipping calculator to compare before committing.
Italian Customs — IVA and Import Charges
Italy is a member of the European Union and applies EU customs rules to goods arriving from Britain. Italian VAT, known as IVA (Imposta sul Valore Aggiunto), stands at 22 percent as the standard rate. A reduced rate of 10 percent applies to some food products, medicines and certain goods. Books and newspapers carry 4 percent.
From 1 July 2026, the EU introduced a flat €3 duty per product category on all parcels valued at €150 or below entering from non-EU countries. A parcel with goods from two different categories pays €6. For parcels above €150, standard EU tariff rates apply, though goods genuinely originating in Britain may qualify for reduced rates under the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement.
Consolidating your orders into one shipment means paying this flat rate once rather than several times across separate parcels. Use our customs duty estimator to work out expected charges before you ship. For full logistics and carrier details, see our Italy shipping page.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does forwarding from Britain to Italy work?
Register for a free Send2Hub address, use it at checkout with any retailer based in Britain and your parcels are delivered to our Stoke-on-Trent warehouse. Every parcel is photographed and processed the day it arrives. Consolidate your purchases and forward them to your Italian address via your choice of carrier.
Can I order from retailers that do not ship to Italy?
Yes. Your Send2Hub address works at any store in Britain that ships domestically, including Boots, Primark, Dunelm and Marks and Spencer. If a retailer does not accept your Italian payment card, our Shop and Ship service can purchase items on your behalf.
How much does shipping from Britain to Italy cost?
Costs depend on parcel weight, dimensions and carrier. Italian IVA at 22 percent and the flat €3 EU duty per product category from July 2026 also apply at the Italian border. Use our shipping calculator to estimate before ordering.
How much can I save by consolidating before shipping to Italy?
Most customers save 40 to 60 percent by consolidating. One shipment pays one set of customs handling fees instead of several. Free storage: 30 days Individual, 45 days Business, 60 days Premium.
How long does delivery from Britain to Italy take?
Express carriers such as DHL and FedEx typically reach Rome and Milan in two to three business days. Economy services take five to fourteen business days. Italian customs clearance adds one to two days on top of transit time.