Peak 2025: What the latest fulfilment headlines tell us about the months ahead

Behind the scenes of peak 2025, the fulfilment and logistics world is moving fast. Warehouses changing hands, carriers recalibrating costs, and governments rewriting the rules of how goods move throughout Q4 and beyond.

Across the UK, Europe, the US, and Australia, the headlines from the last few weeks tell the story of an industry preparing for the busiest time of year.

Here’s a look at what’s happening right now, and what it means for businesses relying on fulfilment networks to deliver peak performance.

🇬🇧 UK: Border controls, carbon, and packaging

The UK’s logistics regime is getting greener, safer, and more complex.

What's changing?

• In June 2025, the UK government and PackUK published confirmed 2025 base fees under the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Invoices are set to hit businesses in October 2025.* Many of the fees (for glass, paper, etc.) were reduced relative to initial estimates
• The first Recyclability Assessment Methodology (RAM) reporting cycle is also under way; while regulators won’t penalise late reporting for H1 2025, 2026 modulated fees will link to recyclability data
• The Product Regulation & Metrology Act 2025 is also now law, empowering UK regulators to introduce new product safety requirements for online marketplaces, signalling long-term regulatory separation from the EU

UK EPR: Who needs to take note

The UK has confirmed 2025 ‘base fees’ for packaging under the EPR regime, with invoices issued from October 2025. These fees primarily apply to large producers (annual UK turnover of £2m+ and >50 tonnes of packaging in a calendar year) placing household packaging on the market.

If you’re below these thresholds, you may still need to register or report data, but you won’t receive invoices.

Why this matters

Every importer and retailer placing packaging on the UK market now carries a cost or compliance burden in a bid to make domestic logistics greener.

Meanwhile, a separation from EU standards could mean new product safety regulations coming into play for UK online marketplaces.

What to do

• Validate your packaging data and tonnage mix
• Create recyclability reporting processes ready for 2026
• Monitor Metrology Act guidance for new product rules

🇪🇺 EU: Packaging overhaul, steel limits, parcel fees

Europe’s regulatory requirements are tightening on multiple fronts.

What's changing?

• The EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR 2025/40) came into play in February 2025, with enforcement beginning August 2026
• Plans have been announced to hike tariffs on imported steel, with the commission to cut the amount of steel that can be imported into the EU by half – beyond which new 50% tariffs will apply
• Several EU capitals are moving to charge handling fees on low-value parcels – with more than 80% flown in from China – in a bid to bolster national budgets and fund more customs checks
• A new EU-US trade framework was announced in July 2025, with the aim to stabilise tariff relations for EU consumers and businesses
• VAT in the Digital Age (ViDA) continues its roll-out, gradually replacing older systems

Why this matters

Packaging decisions made now will determine future compliance costs, and non-recyclable designs could be non-marketable within 18 months.

Additional duties and trade frameworks could also play a role in changing fulfilment costs and customs scrutiny for businesses.

What to do

• Conduct a packaging audit to assess recyclability, material mix, and labelling readiness; work with suppliers to verify your packaging specifications align with recyclability and reuse thresholds, as non-compliant designs will become a sales barrier
• Assess additional cost exposure from steel tariffs and input restrictions, and revisit supplier contracts that rely on imported steel
• Anticipate new low-value parcel fees and de minimis changes by adjusting pricing for impacted products
• Stay ahead of the EU-US trade and VAT digitalisation advancements, and budget for extra compliance requirements

🇺🇸 United States: Tariff uncertainty and de minimis suspension

Over in the US, trade policy is once again front and centre of the logistics conversation.

What's changing?

• The White House has threatened 100% tariffs on Chinese imports, prompting talk of a renewed trade war
• European manufacturer Krone were forced to halt US exports after failing to comply with new steel derivative tariffs set by Donald Trump – a stark reminder that documentation can easily block trade
• The USTR has revised tariffs on maritime and cargo-handling equipment, creating new cost requirements for logistics infrastructure imports
• The de minimis exemption for low-value parcels has been suspended, with full phase-out expected by 2027. Effective from early May, Donald Trump suspended the de minimis exemption for low-value packages from China and Hong Kong, with the worldwide exemption to come into play on 1^st July 2027
• Some Section 301 tariff exclusions have been extended to 29^th November 2025

Why this matters

Costs for China-origin goods could rise overnight due to heavy tariffs, while the loss of the de minimis exemption means many eCommerce parcels will face duties and customs delays in the future.

Compliance paperwork – not just pricing – is now a genuine supply chain risk when it comes to logistics in the United States.

What to do

• Model additional duty scenarios on key SKUs
• Audit supplier bill of materials (BOMs) and steel-origin documentation
• Re-cost DTC imports that rely on de minimis routes ahead of legislation changes

🇦🇺 Australia: Biosecurity charges and strategic positioning

Strategy prioritisations are coupled with rising cost pressures.

What's changing?

• The National Freight & Supply Chain Strategy (2025-2029) has outlined priorities around productivity, decarbonisation, resilience, and data transparency
• Smaller 3PLs have reportedly closed or face closure amid rising cost pressures

Why this matters

Government incentives are likely to favour greener, tech-enabled freight solutions. 

What to do

• Monitor grant and incentive schemes under the National Freight & Supply Chain Strategy which could support your business
• Evaluate AU-based logistic/fulfilment partners’ financial stability

The key takeaways

• Europe’s policy engine is picking up speed, with packaging, steel, and handling fees creating new layers of compliance
• UK packaging fees and US tariffs are the main short-term cost risks
• Policy is the biggest driver of logistics cost inflation

What you should prioritise for peak

• Evaluate and budget for any compliance/policy-driven cost creep
• Model scenarios for tariff escalation or de minimis loss
• Build flexibility into product, pricing, and packaging decisions

One way to master compliance is choosing the right fulfilment partner. Established partners have a global presence with local expertise, and can help your business make the most of changing regulations.

The right partner will be more than just a box mover, rather a strategic brand builder that sets you up for growth in any territory your business enters.

Global fulfilment, built around you

At fulfilmentcrowd, we serve high-growth, omnichannel businesses all over the world.

Our flexible, global network and award-winning, in-house technology allow us to create innovative solutions to compliance headaches – all while providing effective fulfilment for your company.