Parcel Forwarding from the UK to France
TL;DR: Send2Hub gives you a free UK address to shop any UK retailer and forward your purchases to France. French VAT (TVA) is 20% for most goods. Parcels valued at €150 or below pay a flat EU duty of €3 per item category, and from 1 November 2026 the EU adds a handling fee of €2 per item, collected by EU customs, at any value. For France, import charges are paid by the recipient on delivery. Free consolidation typically cuts shipping costs by 40 to 60%.
France is home to one of the largest British expat communities in Europe, with UK nationals living across Paris, Normandy, the Dordogne, Provence and the French Alps. At the same time, many residents of France love to shop UK brands, from Marks & Spencer food and Boots cosmetics to ASOS, Next and British homeware, that are either unavailable in France or more expensive locally. Send2Hub gives you a real UK delivery address at our secure warehouse in Stoke-on-Trent. Shop any UK retailer, consolidate your purchases and we forward everything to your address anywhere in France, with full post-Brexit customs support on every shipment.
Shop Any UK Retailer and Ship to France
Your free Send2Hub UK address gives you access to the full range of UK online retail, including stores that do not offer direct shipping to France. Popular UK brands that Send2Hub customers in France regularly shop include Marks & Spencer, Boots, ASOS, Next, The Body Shop, Barbour, Hunter, John Lewis, Fortnum & Mason, Amazon UK and many more. Use your Send2Hub address at checkout as you would any UK delivery address. Your parcel arrives at our warehouse, is automatically photographed, weighed and measured on arrival, and full details appear in your real-time account dashboard immediately.
Save money with parcel consolidation. Hold multiple UK purchases in free temporary storage and combine them into a single outbound shipment before forwarding to France. Consolidation typically reduces international shipping costs by 40 to 60% and simplifies customs: one shipment, one customs declaration, one delivery. For parcels valued at €150 or below, each item category in a combined shipment is charged the €3 duty once. Learn more on our parcel consolidation page.
If a UK retailer does not accept your French card or does not offer international checkout, our Shop & Ship service can purchase items on your behalf.
For Businesses: UK Returns Address for French Sellers
If you sell on Amazon UK, eBay UK, Shopify or any other UK marketplace from France, a UK returns address is essential for maintaining competitive seller ratings and meeting marketplace requirements. Send2Hub provides a professional UK returns address at our Stoke-on-Trent warehouse. Every return is automatically received and photographed on arrival, with details and an image in your real-time account dashboard the same day. Returns can be held in free temporary storage for consolidation before being re-shipped back to France in a single cost-effective shipment. Learn more on our e-commerce returns management page.
UK to France Customs: Post-Brexit Guide (2026)
Since Brexit, the UK is treated as a third country by EU customs authorities. All goods shipped from the UK to France are subject to EU import rules, including customs duties and French VAT (TVA). French customs is administered by the Direction Générale des Douanes et Droits Indirects (DGDDI). Understanding the current rules is essential to avoid unexpected charges and delays.
New EU Customs Rules from 1 July 2026
From 1 July 2026, the EU has abolished the €150 duty-free threshold for small parcels. Parcels valued at €150 or below now pay a flat customs duty of €3 per item category (HS code line), so a parcel with clothing and a book pays €6. This is a temporary measure until 1 July 2028, and it comes in addition to French TVA, which has applied to all UK imports since 2021. Parcels above €150 continue to pay standard EU duty rates. These rules apply to all parcels shipped from the UK to France, including personal purchases.
EU Customs Changes from 1 November 2026
From 1 November 2026, EU customs add a Union handling fee of €2 per item on goods sold at a distance to EU consumers from outside the EU. It is set and collected by the EU customs system, not by Send2Hub, and applies at any parcel value on top of duty and TVA. Sources differ on exactly how an item is counted, so do not assume that combining parcels reduces it. Our customs duty estimator does not include this fee, so add it separately. The same date makes Product Identifiers mandatory on EU customs declarations, explained in our guide to EU Product Identifiers. For the full picture, see our guide to the 2026 EU customs changes.
French VAT (TVA)
French TVA (Taxe sur la Valeur Ajoutée) applies to goods imported from the UK at the standard rate of 20% for most goods. Reduced rates of 10% apply to certain categories such as some food items, and 5.5% for essential goods including books. TVA is calculated on the total value including the cost of goods, shipping and insurance (CIF basis) plus any applicable customs duty.
The EU Import One-Stop Shop (IOSS) scheme lets some sellers collect VAT at checkout, but only when they ship directly to an EU address. Purchases delivered to your UK Send2Hub address and then forwarded to France are imported by you, so TVA is charged on import.
How Import Charges Are Paid
For France, import charges are not paid upfront. Duty, TVA and any EU fees are collected from the recipient by the carrier on delivery, usually together with a carrier clearance fee. Checking the likely amount with our customs duty estimator before you ship helps you avoid surprises at the door.
Customs Duty Rates
For shipments above €150, EU customs duty rates apply based on the HS tariff classification of the goods. Rates for common consumer goods typically range from 0% to 12%. The UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) means that goods that genuinely originate in the UK may qualify for zero or reduced customs duty rates, provided the correct documentation is in place. Goods not originating in the UK, for example goods manufactured in Asia and shipped via the UK, do not qualify for TCA preferential rates. Use our worldwide customs duty estimator for an indication of duty and VAT.
Required Documentation
Standard documentation required for customs clearance in France includes a commercial invoice with accurate item descriptions, HS codes, declared values and country of origin, a packing list and an air waybill or bill of lading. For commercial imports, an EORI number is required. Send2Hub prepares all standard customs export documentation for every outbound shipment from our UK warehouse. Accurate and complete documentation is essential to avoid delays at French customs, so keep your order confirmations and product links until your parcel has cleared customs.
Restricted and Prohibited Items
France follows EU import restrictions. Prohibited or restricted items include weapons and ammunition, controlled substances, counterfeit goods, certain food and agricultural products and goods not meeting EU product safety standards (CE marking). Goods complying only with UK standards may require re-certification to EU standards for commercial import. Visit our prohibited and restricted items page for full details.
Delivery Times from UK to France
DPD: typically 2 to 4 business days, with excellent European coverage, precise tracking and local delivery options across France.
DHL Express: typically 2 to 3 business days, a fast express option with full door-to-door tracking.
FedEx International: typically 2 to 4 business days, reliable express with comprehensive tracking.
UPS Worldwide: typically 3 to 5 business days, strong for business shipments across France.
Royal Mail / Parcelforce: typically 3 to 7 business days, a cost-effective option for lighter shipments.
Transit times are estimates, not guarantees, and exclude customs clearance in France. Use our shipping cost calculator to compare live rates across all available carriers.
Frequently Asked Questions: UK to France Shipping
Can I shop UK retailers that don't ship to France?
Yes. Your free Send2Hub UK address gives you access to any UK retailer, including those that only ship domestically within the UK. Use your Send2Hub address at checkout, your parcel arrives at our Stoke-on-Trent warehouse and we forward it to France. If a UK retailer does not accept your French card, our Shop & Ship service can purchase items on your behalf.
What customs charges apply when shipping from UK to France in 2026?
French TVA of 20% applies to most goods, plus customs duty: a flat €3 per item category for parcels valued at €150 or below, or standard EU rates (typically 0 to 12% depending on HS code) above €150. From 1 November 2026, an EU handling fee of €2 per item, collected by EU customs, also applies at any value. Use our customs duty estimator for duty and VAT, and add the handling fee separately.
Do I pay import charges upfront or on delivery?
For France, import charges are not paid upfront. Duty, TVA and any EU fees are collected from the recipient by the carrier on delivery. Use our customs duty estimator to check the likely duty and VAT before you ship.
Is there still a duty-free threshold for parcels from UK to France?
No. From 1 July 2026 the EU has removed the €150 customs duty exemption for small parcels. Every B2C parcel from the UK to France valued at €150 or below now pays at least €3 customs duty per item category. This applies to all imports, including personal purchases forwarded through Send2Hub.
Do UK-origin goods qualify for reduced duty under the UK-EU Trade Agreement?
Yes, for goods that genuinely originate in the UK. The UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) provides zero or reduced customs duty rates for qualifying UK-origin goods. Accurate documentation including a statement of origin is required. Goods manufactured outside the UK and forwarded via Send2Hub do not qualify for TCA preferential rates.
Can I consolidate multiple orders before shipping to France?
Yes. Hold multiple parcels in free temporary storage and combine them into a single outbound shipment, typically saving 40 to 60% on shipping costs and simplifying customs clearance. Free storage: 30 days Individual, 45 days Business, 60 days Premium. One consolidated shipment means one customs declaration, and for parcels valued at €150 or below each item category is charged the €3 duty once.
Which carriers does Send2Hub use for shipping to France?
We ship to France via DPD, DHL, FedEx, UPS, Parcelforce and Royal Mail. DPD is particularly well suited for European destinations with excellent French delivery coverage. Compare all available rates and transit times using our shipping cost calculator.
Ready to start shopping UK retailers and shipping to France? Register free and get your UK address in under two minutes. Questions? Get in touch with our team.