A Costly Ride: Transport costs of your shipping to and from the UK

Import and export to and from the UK has become much more difficult since Brexit. I can imagine that you are lost in all documentation and regulations involved in transporting your goods abroad. Taking this into account, it is even more difficult to know what costs are involved in transporting your goods to or from the UK. No worries! We have done the work for you. In this blog, you will read about the most common costs involved in transporting your goods.

Customs union

The transport of goods between the Netherlands and the UK can be costly. This is mainly because both countries are not in the same customs union. There are a few different costs you should take into account when transporting your goods, such as: transport costs, import duties and taxes, and VAT. In this blog post, we will discuss each of these costs in more detail.

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Transport costs

The transport of goods from one country to another always incurs transport costs. The cost of transport depends on a number of factors, such as the weight and size of the shipment, the distance travelled, and whether special transportation arrangements need to be made (such as using a courier service). Generally speaking, transport will be more expensive when transport is done by air or by boat, in particular for smaller shipments. Transport by truck is cheaper, but will also take longer.

Import duties and taxes 

When importing goods into a different country, import duties and taxes need to be paid beforehand on these shipments, as well as any VAT payable on those products being imported. For example: if you have ordered shoes worth €60 excluding VAT from an Italian company, this means they will incur charges based on their total price (€60) plus the transport costs and insurance. This value is then subject to 20% import VAT, making the total cost of the shoes €72.

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VAT  

The transport of goods from one EU-country to another also incurs Value-Added Tax (VAT). The current standard rate for VAT in the Netherlands is 21% and, in the UK, the standard rate is 20%. However, in most cases you are able to reclaim the VAT costs you have made as a business.

Reducing transport expenses 

Although transport between the Netherlands and the UK can be costly, there are ways to reduce these expenses. The following 4 tips will help you on your way to reduce transport costs:   

• Compare transport rates between different companies
• Consider which is the most efficient way of transport for you 
• Reduce transport costs by consolidating shipments. However, also consider that a Full-Truck-Load is usually cheaper than multiple groupage shipping.  
• Make sure to assess all the associated costs before making a decision about transport. This will help ensure that you are getting the best deal possible.  

Shipping goods from the UK to other countries is a complicated process. There are many factors that come into play when calculating the costs, such as the weight and size of the shipment, distance travelled, whether special transportation arrangements need to be made (think customs), etc.

To help you get an idea of how much it will cost for your particular situation, we have created what we call our price calculator! It’s an EASY -to-use tool that can give you an estimation of your shipping costs based on your needs. We hope this helps simplify things, so you can take care of all logistics without breaking a sweat! 

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