British Stores Want to Re-enter the EU Game Thanks to Polish Logistics
- Edited by M.K.
- Kategoria: English zone
For British e-commerce, Brexit is no longer a political issue. Today, online retailers in the UK are calculating its consequences: longer delivery times, higher order-fulfillment costs, and problems with returns. At the same time, customers in the European Union increasingly compare their shopping experience with the standards set by global marketplace platforms, including players from Asia, raising the bar for speed and convenience. If British stores want to grow in the EU, they must shift from the model of “shipping from the UK” to “operating within the Union,” regaining both pace and cost control.
After conversations taking place at Savant Event London 2026, a prestigious conference focused on the e-commerce sector, one can get the impression that Brexit has come at a high cost to the British online retail industry. Importantly, Poland is no longer seen as an alternative, but as a target partner for British brands operating in the EU. This results from five specific reasons:
First, delivery time determines sales
In the past, price was the key factor. Today, the first filter is delivery time and its consistency. Deliveries from the UK to the EU can now take up to four days longer than before Brexit. Under current market standards, this works against British brands, especially when customers have readily available alternatives.
Second, cross-border costs are rising faster than margins
Companies increasingly calculate logistics not just in terms of rates, but as the total cost of order fulfillment, including errors, complaints, and returns. Cross-border service costs can be 30–50% higher than fulfillment within the EU. As a result, logistics decisions are moving to the executive level and becoming part of corporate strategy rather than operational procurement.
Third, returns are the new competitive battleground
In many product categories, returns are part of the shopping experience. If they take too long or are expensive, conversion rates and customer lifetime value decline. Returns handled on the EU–UK route can extend the process by up to 14 days. In practice, that difference can determine whether a brand is able to scale its sales in the Union.
Fourth, marketplaces demand flawless fulfillment
Marketplaces remain a growth channel, but they reward operational stability: on-time delivery, accurate order picking, product availability, and efficient returns. Companies today are therefore not just looking for a carrier, but for a partner capable of maintaining fulfillment standards at scale, including during peak seasons, while reducing operational risk that directly affects sales performance.
Fifth, operating within the EU
From the perspective of British brands, Poland is increasingly emerging as a logical operational base for the EU. It allows companies to shorten supply chains, improve predictability, and serve multiple markets from a single location. Another factor is the scale of Poland’s warehouse market, which exceeds 35 million square meters of modern logistics space, enabling the rapid launch and scaling of logistics projects.
Source: Fulfilio