Shipping Costs Rising
Fuel surcharges, tolls, and the impact on your checkout
Amsterdam – The shipping market continues to evolve. Fuel surcharges are rising sharply, a toll component will be introduced in the Netherlands from 1 July 2026, and from 1 January 2027 we expect further surcharge increases for larger and heavier shipments. This has a direct impact on the rates you negotiate with carriers — and ultimately on the price your customer sees at checkout.
The increases vary significantly by carrier and can add up quickly. As an illustration, fuel surcharges from January to April 2026:
Increase per carrier, January vs April 2026:
- DHL: +10.5 percentage points
- DPD: +7.5 percentage points
- PostNL: stable for now
Outside our monitor data, we also saw major moves among express carriers: UPS & FedEx raised fuel surcharges on express shipments from 32% to 48.5%. That is a substantial increase in just a few months, and fluctuations like these can hit your shipping costs and margins faster than you might expect.
The chart below shows how fuel costs relate to product margin — and the picture is stark: small parcels are hit the hardest.
For a large parcel (€20 shipping cost) with a low product value (€25), the fuel surcharge now accounts for more than 103% of the product margin. In other words: the margin is completely wiped out — and then some.
By comparison, for a product worth €100, the impact is limited to around 25% of the margin for a large parcel. The combination of low product value and large format is by far the most vulnerable.
True — some retailers receive (substantial) discounts on base rates and surcharges. At the same time, we are increasingly hearing that those very discounts are under pressure and being partially reduced. As a result, the net impact may be greater than your contract suggests on paper.
This is especially relevant if you:
- Pass on shipping costs (in part) to the consumer
- Work with a "free shipping from" order value threshold
- Have high volume in specific regions (where tolls and route choices can have an additional effect)
- Use multiple carriers whose rates differ significantly from one another
Take some time in the coming period to review your checkout pricing structure. Small changes in surcharges can silently leak away into your margin, especially if your checkout prices haven't been updated in a while. Our tips:
- Monitor surcharges actively (via Wuunder) — compare carriers regularly and check whether your checkout prices still align with your actual costs. This can be done via Wuunder's rate API, which provides up-to-date fuel prices and tariffs, enabling you to continuously ship with the most cost-effective carrier.
- Offer multiple delivery options — such as parcel shop or locker deliveries. Carriers often offer discounts or better rates on these.
- Consider deferred delivery — this reduces peaks in your warehouse, lowering logistics costs and offsetting part of the increased transport costs.
Want to know how your specific product mix and carrier mix stack up? Get in touch with your Wuunder contact or via this form for a personalised calculation.