EU import duties curb sales of Asian fast-fashion platforms in Germany
New EU rules on low-value imports have sharply reduced revenues of Shein, Temu and AliExpress in Germany, with the platforms reporting a notable drop in Q3 sales.
The European Union removed the €150 exemption for parcels from third countries in July, making every such shipment subject to customs duties and a €3 flat fee per product group, with an additional €2 handling charge from November. This policy aims to limit the influx of inexpensive goods from abroad. As a result, the Asian e-commerce sites Shein, Temu and AliExpress saw a pronounced decline in German revenues during the third quarter, according to the BEVH.
Alien Mulyk, chief executive, attributed the slowdown to the higher costs of small shipments, noting that the fast-fashion and low-price models are now less competitive. The combined market share of the three platforms in Germany’s online market has receded after reaching a record high earlier. Overall, German online retail growth decelerated in Q3, with sales only slightly above the same period last year, reflecting weaker consumer sentiment.
Why it matters
Higher import fees are dampening the growth of cheap-price Asian platforms, affecting German consumers and the broader e-commerce market.
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