{"id":9692,"date":"2026-10-26T06:24:51","date_gmt":"2026-10-26T06:24:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.efulfilment.eu\/?p=9692"},"modified":"2026-10-30T07:56:49","modified_gmt":"2026-10-30T07:56:49","slug":"fuel-prices-ecommerce-shipping-costs-europe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.efulfilment.eu\/en\/fuel-prices-ecommerce-shipping-costs-europe\/","title":{"rendered":"Middle East shipping disruptions: how fuel prices are affecting e-commerce shipping costs"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Fuel prices and shipping costs\u00a0are connected by a mechanism most e-commerce brands never see: the fuel surcharge index. Between August and October 2026, DHL eCommerce Netherlands raised its fuel surcharge from 23.50% to 30.25% \u2014 a rise of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.efulfilment.eu\/en\/european-supply-chain-update-october-2026\/\">6.75 percentage points in three months<\/a>. That surcharge is applied on top of your transport rate, which means the increase reaches your shipping bill whether or not your contracted rate changed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Key takeaways<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Your negotiated rate is not your final cost<strong>.<\/strong>&nbsp;Carriers apply a fuel surcharge as a percentage on top of the transport rate, and that percentage moves monthly.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The rise is documented and steep.&nbsp;DHL eCommerce Netherlands: 23.50% in August 2026, 28.00% in September, 30.25% in October.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Surcharges lag the pump by about a month.&nbsp;DHL states that the mid-June diesel price publication sets the July surcharge, so today\u2019s pump price is next month\u2019s bill.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The surcharge compounds.&nbsp;It is calculated on the transport rate and on transport-related options and surcharges, not on the base rate alone.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>You cannot control fuel. You can control distance, parcel size, carrier mix and the number of times a parcel moves.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The Strait of Hormuz is the link between the region and your invoice. Roughly a fifth of global oil consumption passes through it, and unlike the Red Sea there is no practical route around it \u2014 so disruption shows up as price, not as delay.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why this matters more for Scandinavian brands right now<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Scandinavian e-commerce brands selling into the EU are exposed twice. The first exposure is ordinary: every parcel carries a fuel surcharge. The second is structural \u2014 if your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.efulfilment.eu\/en\/about-us\/ecommerce-fulfilment-from-sweden-and-scandinavia-to-the-eu\/\">stock still sits in Denmark, Sweden or Norway<\/a> while your customers are in Germany and France, every order travels a long distance, and a percentage surcharge on a longer, more expensive movement costs more in absolute terms than the same percentage on a short one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When surcharges sat near 10%, the difference was tolerable. At 30%, the same structural inefficiency costs three times as much. That is the reason fuel pricing has moved from an accounting footnote to a question about where your inventory should be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How do fuel prices affect shipping costs?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Fuel prices reach your shipping bill through a fuel surcharge index \u2014 a published percentage the carrier applies on top of the transport rate, updated monthly against a fuel price benchmark. When diesel rises, the index moves up a band and every parcel you ship that month costs more, without any change to your negotiated rate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The chain has four links:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Crude oil price moves \u2014 driven by supply decisions, demand, currency and geopolitical risk, including conditions at the chokepoints the oil physically travels through. The Strait of Hormuz is the largest of these.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Diesel at the pump follows, with refining margins, national taxes and duties layered on top.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A national statistics body publishes the price<strong>.<\/strong>&nbsp;DHL eCommerce Netherlands links its index to the Dutch consumer diesel price published by CBS, taxes and duties included.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The carrier moves to the matching band in its published index&nbsp;and applies that percentage to every shipment the following month.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Critically, the surcharge is not applied to your base rate alone. DHL states it is calculated on the transportation rate and&nbsp;transportation-related options and surcharges \u2014 so it compounds across the other line items on your invoice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How much have shipping costs in Europe actually risen?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Published carrier data gives a precise answer rather than an estimate. DHL eCommerce Netherlands lists its fuel surcharge as 23.50% in August 2026, 28.00% in September 2026 and 30.25% in October 2026 \u2014 a 6.75 percentage point rise across three months.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Reading those percentages back through DHL\u2019s own published index shows the underlying diesel movement:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><tbody><tr><td><strong>Month<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Fuel surcharge<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Implied Dutch diesel price<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>August 2026<\/td><td>23.50%<\/td><td>\u20ac2.12 \u2013 \u20ac2.16 per litre<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>September 2026<\/td><td>28.00%<\/td><td>\u20ac2.36 \u2013 \u20ac2.40 per litre<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>October 2026<\/td><td>30.25%<\/td><td>\u20ac2.48 \u2013 \u20ac2.52 per litre<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Diesel moved roughly \u20ac0.36 per litre in three months, and the surcharge moved with it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>What that means on an invoice.<\/strong>&nbsp;Take a \u20ac5.00 transport rate as an illustration:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>At 23.50%, the parcel costs \u20ac6.18<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>At 30.25%, the same parcel costs \u20ac6.51<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That is \u20ac0.34 more per parcel, or about 5.5% on the total shipping line. A brand shipping 5,000 parcels a month absorbs <a href=\"https:\/\/www.efulfilment.eu\/en\/ecommerce-fulfilment-cost-europe\/\">roughly \u20ac1,700 in additional monthly cost<\/a> for shipping exactly the same volume to exactly the same places.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why is there a delay between the pump and your invoice?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Because the index is set from published statistics rather than live prices. DHL states that fuel price publication dates mean the surcharge is applied the following month \u2014 the mid-June CBS publication determines the July surcharge. Your October bill reflects September fuel, not October fuel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This lag has two practical consequences:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>You can forecast next month. <\/strong>Watching the national diesel price through the month tells you roughly which band the surcharge will land in before the invoice arrives. That is a month of warning to adjust pricing or free shipping thresholds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Falls lag too.<\/strong> When fuel prices drop, the relief arrives a month late as well. Brands often notice the rises and miss the falls, which is worth remembering before renegotiating on the strength of one bad month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How does the Middle East affect shipping costs in Europe?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Middle East events reach European parcel costs indirectly, through crude oil rather than through your parcels. Most European e-commerce parcels never travel through the region \u2014 they <a href=\"https:\/\/www.efulfilment.eu\/en\/24-hour-delivery-europe-one-warehouse\/\">move by road from a European warehouse<\/a>. What travels through it is the oil and the container freight that set the input costs underneath your surcharge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Two separate transmission routes are worth keeping distinct, because they behave differently:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Crude oil and diesel \u2014 fast, affects every parcel.<\/strong>&nbsp;Supply disruption or risk premium in oil markets raises crude. Diesel follows at the pump. The national statistics body publishes the higher price. Every carrier indexed to that benchmark moves up a band the following month. This route touches every parcel you ship in Europe, including a domestic Dutch delivery that never leaves the country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>The Strait of Hormuz \u2014 why the region matters for oil at all.<\/strong> The Strait of Hormuz is the sea passage connecting the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman and the open ocean. It is the only maritime exit for crude and LNG leaving Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Kuwait, the UAE, Qatar and Iran, and roughly a fifth of global petroleum liquids consumption passes through it. At its narrowest the navigable shipping lanes are only a few kilometres wide in each direction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Sea freight routing \u2014 slower, affects your stock cost.<\/strong>&nbsp;This does not change what a parcel costs to deliver in Germany. It changes what your inventory costs to land in Europe, and it lengthens replenishment lead times \u2014 which matters most when you are restocking before a peak.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How can you reduce shipping costs when fuel prices rise?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You cannot influence the surcharge percentage, so every available saving sits in the other half of the equation: what the percentage is applied to, and how many chargeable movements each order creates. Five levers, in the order they usually pay off.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Shorten the distance.<\/strong>\u00a0A percentage surcharge on a domestic German parcel from a Netherlands hub costs less in absolute terms than the same percentage on an international parcel from Denmark. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.efulfilment.eu\/en\/fulfilment-services-almere-netherlands-logistics-centre\/\">Moving stock closer to demand <\/a>reduces the base the surcharge multiplies.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Fix volumetric weight.<\/strong>&nbsp;Carriers charge on actual or volumetric weight, whichever is greater. An oversized box is paying surcharge on air. Reviewing box sizes against your top SKUs is the fastest structural saving available, and it needs no negotiation.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Use carrier choice per shipment.<\/strong>&nbsp;Indexes differ between carriers and so do base rates. A provider evaluating cost per parcel across multiple carriers captures the cheaper combination on each route; a single contract cannot.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Reduce return legs.<\/strong>&nbsp;Every return is a second chargeable movement carrying the same surcharge. An EU returns address instead of a Scandinavian one shortens that leg and gets saleable stock back faster.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Consolidate B2B and retail movements.<\/strong>&nbsp;Pallet distribution absorbs surcharge far more efficiently per unit than individual parcels. If you serve retailers as well as consumers, check the split.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Fulfilment models compared: what each does to your fuel exposure<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><tbody><tr><td><\/td><td><strong>In-house in Scandinavia<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>3PL in the Netherlands<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Multiple EU warehouses<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Distance per EU order<\/td><td>Long \u2014 surcharge applied to a high base<\/td><td>Short for Benelux, Germany, France<\/td><td>Shortest overall<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Carrier choice<\/td><td>Usually one or two contracts<\/td><td>Multiple carriers, selected per shipment<\/td><td>Multiple, per location<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Return leg cost<\/td><td>Long cross-border leg back<\/td><td>Short EU leg<\/td><td>Short<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Fixed cost exposure<\/td><td>High \u2014 rent and staff regardless of volume<\/td><td>Variable \u2014 scales with orders<\/td><td>High<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Stock landing cost<\/td><td>One import point<\/td><td>One import point<\/td><td>Duplicated handling<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Exposure when fuel rises<\/td><td>Highest \u2014 long distances, few carrier options<\/td><td>Lower \u2014 short distances, carrier flexibility<\/td><td>Lowest per parcel, highest overhead<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:80px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What this means for your pricing and checkout<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Do not absorb silently.<\/strong>&nbsp;A 6.75 point surcharge rise on a thin-margin category is the difference between profitable and not. Model the change against your actual parcel mix before deciding to absorb it.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Revisit free shipping thresholds.<\/strong>&nbsp;A threshold set when surcharges were near 10% is being funded very differently at 30%. The threshold that made sense last year may now be selling your margin.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Charge by destination, not by continent.<\/strong>&nbsp;A parcel to Belgium and a parcel to Spain do not cost the same. A single Europe-wide shipping rate either overcharges near markets or undercharges distant ones.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Watch the diesel price, not the invoice.<\/strong>&nbsp;Because of the one-month lag, the national diesel price gives you a month of warning. That is enough time to adjust before the cost lands.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:60px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns max-w-full max-[516px]:px-0 has-background is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-8f761849 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\" style=\"background-color:#d9d9d9\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<div style=\"height:80px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\r\n\r\n<section>\r\n    <div class=\"max-w-[1280px] mx-auto px-[40px] max-[516px]:px-[22px] pb-[80px] max-[516px]:pb-[40px]\">\r\n        <div class=\"text-secondary leading-[110%] mb-[10px] text-[48px] max-[1042px]:text-[32px] max-[516px]:text-[27px]\">\r\n                <h2>Frequently asked questions<\/h2>\n        <\/div>\r\n        <div class=\"\">\r\n            <div class=\"accordion_custom\" id=\"accordionExample\">\r\n                                    <div class=\"card py-[22px] max-[516px]:py-[15px] border-b-last-none border-b-dash border-[#1A284B]\">\r\n                        <div class=\"card-header \" id=\"heading1\">\r\n                            <h2 class=\"mb-0\">\r\n                                <button \r\n                                    class=\"w-full faq-toggle flex gap-4 items-center justify-between text-[22px] max-[516px]:text-[18px] btn btn-link btn-block text-left \" \r\n                                    type=\"button\"\r\n                                    data-target=\"#collapse1\"\r\n                                    >\r\n                                    How do fuel prices affect e-commerce shipping costs?                                    <svg class=\"min-width-[18px]\" width=\"18\" height=\"9\" viewBox=\"0 0 18 9\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\r\n                                        <path d=\"M16.59 0.75L10.07 7.27C9.3 8.04 8.04 8.04 7.27 7.27L0.75 0.75\" stroke=\"#292D32\" stroke-width=\"1.5\" stroke-miterlimit=\"10\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"\/>\r\n                                    <\/svg>\r\n                                <\/button>\r\n                            <\/h2>\r\n                        <\/div>\r\n\r\n                        <div id=\"collapse1\" class=\"pt-[20px] collapsee show\" aria-labelledby=\"heading1\" data-bs-parent=\"#accordionExample\">\r\n                        <div class=\"card-body textContentBlock text-secondary\">\r\n                            <p>Through a fuel surcharge index. Carriers publish a percentage, updated monthly against a national diesel price benchmark, and apply it on top of the transport rate. When diesel rises the index moves up a band, so every parcel costs more that month without any change to your negotiated rate.<\/p>\n                        <\/div>\r\n                        <\/div>\r\n                    <\/div>\r\n                        \r\n                                    <div class=\"card py-[22px] max-[516px]:py-[15px] border-b-last-none border-b-dash border-[#1A284B]\">\r\n                        <div class=\"card-header \" id=\"heading2\">\r\n                            <h2 class=\"mb-0\">\r\n                                <button \r\n                                    class=\"w-full faq-toggle flex gap-4 items-center justify-between text-[22px] max-[516px]:text-[18px] btn btn-link btn-block text-left collapsed\" \r\n                                    type=\"button\"\r\n                                    data-target=\"#collapse2\"\r\n                                    >\r\n                                    How much have fuel surcharges risen in 2026?                                    <svg class=\"min-width-[18px]\" width=\"18\" height=\"9\" viewBox=\"0 0 18 9\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\r\n                                        <path d=\"M16.59 0.75L10.07 7.27C9.3 8.04 8.04 8.04 7.27 7.27L0.75 0.75\" stroke=\"#292D32\" stroke-width=\"1.5\" stroke-miterlimit=\"10\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"\/>\r\n                                    <\/svg>\r\n                                <\/button>\r\n                            <\/h2>\r\n                        <\/div>\r\n\r\n                        <div id=\"collapse2\" class=\"pt-[20px] collapsee\" aria-labelledby=\"heading2\" data-bs-parent=\"#accordionExample\">\r\n                        <div class=\"card-body textContentBlock text-secondary\">\r\n                            <p>DHL eCommerce Netherlands published a fuel surcharge of 23.50% in August 2026, 28.00% in September and 30.25% in October \u2014 a rise of 6.75 percentage points in three months. Percentages differ between carriers and countries, so check the published index for the carriers you actually use.<\/p>\n                        <\/div>\r\n                        <\/div>\r\n                    <\/div>\r\n                        \r\n                                    <div class=\"card py-[22px] max-[516px]:py-[15px] border-b-last-none border-b-dash border-[#1A284B]\">\r\n                        <div class=\"card-header \" id=\"heading3\">\r\n                            <h2 class=\"mb-0\">\r\n                                <button \r\n                                    class=\"w-full faq-toggle flex gap-4 items-center justify-between text-[22px] max-[516px]:text-[18px] btn btn-link btn-block text-left collapsed\" \r\n                                    type=\"button\"\r\n                                    data-target=\"#collapse3\"\r\n                                    >\r\n                                    How does the Middle East affect shipping costs in Europe?                                    <svg class=\"min-width-[18px]\" width=\"18\" height=\"9\" viewBox=\"0 0 18 9\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\r\n                                        <path d=\"M16.59 0.75L10.07 7.27C9.3 8.04 8.04 8.04 7.27 7.27L0.75 0.75\" stroke=\"#292D32\" stroke-width=\"1.5\" stroke-miterlimit=\"10\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"\/>\r\n                                    <\/svg>\r\n                                <\/button>\r\n                            <\/h2>\r\n                        <\/div>\r\n\r\n                        <div id=\"collapse3\" class=\"pt-[20px] collapsee\" aria-labelledby=\"heading3\" data-bs-parent=\"#accordionExample\">\r\n                        <div class=\"card-body textContentBlock text-secondary\">\r\n                            <p>Mainly through crude oil rather than through your parcels. European parcels move by road from European warehouses, but oil market disruption raises diesel, which raises the surcharge on every parcel. Separately, Red Sea and Suez routing affects container freight, which changes what your inventory costs to land in Europe rather than what a delivery costs.<\/p>\n                        <\/div>\r\n                        <\/div>\r\n                    <\/div>\r\n                        \r\n                                    <div class=\"card py-[22px] max-[516px]:py-[15px] border-b-last-none border-b-dash border-[#1A284B]\">\r\n                        <div class=\"card-header \" id=\"heading4\">\r\n                            <h2 class=\"mb-0\">\r\n                                <button \r\n                                    class=\"w-full faq-toggle flex gap-4 items-center justify-between text-[22px] max-[516px]:text-[18px] btn btn-link btn-block text-left collapsed\" \r\n                                    type=\"button\"\r\n                                    data-target=\"#collapse4\"\r\n                                    >\r\n                                    What is the Strait of Hormuz and why does it affect shipping costs?                                    <svg class=\"min-width-[18px]\" width=\"18\" height=\"9\" viewBox=\"0 0 18 9\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\r\n                                        <path d=\"M16.59 0.75L10.07 7.27C9.3 8.04 8.04 8.04 7.27 7.27L0.75 0.75\" stroke=\"#292D32\" stroke-width=\"1.5\" stroke-miterlimit=\"10\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"\/>\r\n                                    <\/svg>\r\n                                <\/button>\r\n                            <\/h2>\r\n                        <\/div>\r\n\r\n                        <div id=\"collapse4\" class=\"pt-[20px] collapsee\" aria-labelledby=\"heading4\" data-bs-parent=\"#accordionExample\">\r\n                        <div class=\"card-body textContentBlock text-secondary\">\r\n                            <p>The Strait of Hormuz is the narrow sea passage connecting the Persian Gulf to the open ocean, and roughly a fifth of global petroleum liquids consumption passes through it. Unlike the Red Sea, there is no practical alternative route for that volume, so disruption or even the risk of it moves crude prices rather than simply rerouting ships. That price movement reaches European parcels through the diesel-linked fuel surcharge.<\/p>\n                        <\/div>\r\n                        <\/div>\r\n                    <\/div>\r\n                        \r\n                                    <div class=\"card py-[22px] max-[516px]:py-[15px] border-b-last-none border-b-dash border-[#1A284B]\">\r\n                        <div class=\"card-header \" id=\"heading5\">\r\n                            <h2 class=\"mb-0\">\r\n                                <button \r\n                                    class=\"w-full faq-toggle flex gap-4 items-center justify-between text-[22px] max-[516px]:text-[18px] btn btn-link btn-block text-left collapsed\" \r\n                                    type=\"button\"\r\n                                    data-target=\"#collapse5\"\r\n                                    >\r\n                                    Why is there a delay between fuel prices falling and my costs dropping?                                    <svg class=\"min-width-[18px]\" width=\"18\" height=\"9\" viewBox=\"0 0 18 9\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\r\n                                        <path d=\"M16.59 0.75L10.07 7.27C9.3 8.04 8.04 8.04 7.27 7.27L0.75 0.75\" stroke=\"#292D32\" stroke-width=\"1.5\" stroke-miterlimit=\"10\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"\/>\r\n                                    <\/svg>\r\n                                <\/button>\r\n                            <\/h2>\r\n                        <\/div>\r\n\r\n                        <div id=\"collapse5\" class=\"pt-[20px] collapsee\" aria-labelledby=\"heading5\" data-bs-parent=\"#accordionExample\">\r\n                        <div class=\"card-body textContentBlock text-secondary\">\r\n                            <p>Because carriers set the index from published statistics, which arrive after the fact. DHL states that the mid-June price publication determines the July surcharge, so there is roughly a month between the pump and the invoice. That lag applies to falls as well as rises.<\/p>\n                        <\/div>\r\n                        <\/div>\r\n                    <\/div>\r\n                        \r\n                                    <div class=\"card py-[22px] max-[516px]:py-[15px] border-b-last-none border-b-dash border-[#1A284B]\">\r\n                        <div class=\"card-header \" id=\"heading6\">\r\n                            <h2 class=\"mb-0\">\r\n                                <button \r\n                                    class=\"w-full faq-toggle flex gap-4 items-center justify-between text-[22px] max-[516px]:text-[18px] btn btn-link btn-block text-left collapsed\" \r\n                                    type=\"button\"\r\n                                    data-target=\"#collapse6\"\r\n                                    >\r\n                                    How can I reduce shipping costs when fuel prices are high?                                    <svg class=\"min-width-[18px]\" width=\"18\" height=\"9\" viewBox=\"0 0 18 9\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\r\n                                        <path d=\"M16.59 0.75L10.07 7.27C9.3 8.04 8.04 8.04 7.27 7.27L0.75 0.75\" stroke=\"#292D32\" stroke-width=\"1.5\" stroke-miterlimit=\"10\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"\/>\r\n                                    <\/svg>\r\n                                <\/button>\r\n                            <\/h2>\r\n                        <\/div>\r\n\r\n                        <div id=\"collapse6\" class=\"pt-[20px] collapsee\" aria-labelledby=\"heading6\" data-bs-parent=\"#accordionExample\">\r\n                        <div class=\"card-body textContentBlock text-secondary\">\r\n                            <p>Reduce what the percentage is applied to. Shorten distance by holding stock closer to your customers, fix oversized packaging so you stop paying surcharge on volumetric weight, use a provider that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.efulfilment.eu\/en\/multi-carrier-fulfilment-peak-season-risk\/\" target=\"_blank\">selects carriers per shipment<\/a> rather than one contract, and shorten return legs with an EU returns address.<\/p>\n                        <\/div>\r\n                        <\/div>\r\n                    <\/div>\r\n                        \r\n                                    <div class=\"card py-[22px] max-[516px]:py-[15px] border-b-last-none border-b-dash border-[#1A284B]\">\r\n                        <div class=\"card-header \" id=\"heading7\">\r\n                            <h2 class=\"mb-0\">\r\n                                <button \r\n                                    class=\"w-full faq-toggle flex gap-4 items-center justify-between text-[22px] max-[516px]:text-[18px] btn btn-link btn-block text-left collapsed\" \r\n                                    type=\"button\"\r\n                                    data-target=\"#collapse7\"\r\n                                    >\r\n                                    Should I add a fuel surcharge to my own checkout?                                    <svg class=\"min-width-[18px]\" width=\"18\" height=\"9\" viewBox=\"0 0 18 9\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\r\n                                        <path d=\"M16.59 0.75L10.07 7.27C9.3 8.04 8.04 8.04 7.27 7.27L0.75 0.75\" stroke=\"#292D32\" stroke-width=\"1.5\" stroke-miterlimit=\"10\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"\/>\r\n                                    <\/svg>\r\n                                <\/button>\r\n                            <\/h2>\r\n                        <\/div>\r\n\r\n                        <div id=\"collapse7\" class=\"pt-[20px] collapsee\" aria-labelledby=\"heading7\" data-bs-parent=\"#accordionExample\">\r\n                        <div class=\"card-body textContentBlock text-secondary\">\r\n                            <p>Most consumer brands do not, because a variable surcharge at checkout damages conversion. The more common approaches are building an average into shipping rates, adjusting the free shipping threshold, or charging by destination zone so distant markets carry their real cost.<\/p>\n                        <\/div>\r\n                        <\/div>\r\n                    <\/div>\r\n                        \r\n                                    <div class=\"card py-[22px] max-[516px]:py-[15px] border-b-last-none border-b-dash border-[#1A284B]\">\r\n                        <div class=\"card-header \" id=\"heading8\">\r\n                            <h2 class=\"mb-0\">\r\n                                <button \r\n                                    class=\"w-full faq-toggle flex gap-4 items-center justify-between text-[22px] max-[516px]:text-[18px] btn btn-link btn-block text-left collapsed\" \r\n                                    type=\"button\"\r\n                                    data-target=\"#collapse8\"\r\n                                    >\r\n                                    Does moving stock into the EU actually reduce fuel exposure?                                    <svg class=\"min-width-[18px]\" width=\"18\" height=\"9\" viewBox=\"0 0 18 9\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\r\n                                        <path d=\"M16.59 0.75L10.07 7.27C9.3 8.04 8.04 8.04 7.27 7.27L0.75 0.75\" stroke=\"#292D32\" stroke-width=\"1.5\" stroke-miterlimit=\"10\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"\/>\r\n                                    <\/svg>\r\n                                <\/button>\r\n                            <\/h2>\r\n                        <\/div>\r\n\r\n                        <div id=\"collapse8\" class=\"pt-[20px] collapsee\" aria-labelledby=\"heading8\" data-bs-parent=\"#accordionExample\">\r\n                        <div class=\"card-body textContentBlock text-secondary\">\r\n                            <p>It reduces the base the surcharge is applied to. The percentage is the same wherever you ship from, but it multiplies a smaller number when a German order ships domestically from the Netherlands rather than internationally from Denmark. It also shortens the return leg, which carries the same surcharge.<\/p>\n                        <\/div>\r\n                        <\/div>\r\n                    <\/div>\r\n                        \r\n                                \r\n            <\/div>\r\n        <\/div>\r\n    <\/div>\r\n<\/section>\r\n\r\n\r\n<script>\r\njQuery(document).ready(function ($) {\r\n    const buttons = $(\".faq-toggle\");\r\n\r\n    buttons.on(\"click\", function () {\r\n        const targetId = $(this).data(\"target\");\r\n        const target = $(targetId);\r\n\r\n        const isOpen = target.hasClass(\"show\");\r\n\r\n        $(\".accordion_custom .collapsee\").removeClass(\"show\").slideUp();\r\n        $(\".faq-toggle\").addClass(\"collapsed\");\r\n\r\n        if (!isOpen) {\r\n            target.addClass(\"show\").slideDown();\r\n            $(this).removeClass(\"collapsed\");\r\n        }\r\n    });\r\n});\r\n<\/script><\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Fuel prices and shipping costs\u00a0are connected by a mechanism most e-commerce brands never see: the fuel surcharge index. Between August and October 2026, DHL eCommerce Netherlands raised its fuel surcharge from 23.50% to 30.25% \u2014 a rise of 6.75 percentage points in three months. That surcharge is applied on top of your transport rate, which [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":9693,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[183],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9692","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-fulfilment"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.7 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Fuel prices and shipping costs in Europe | efulfilment.eu<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Fuel surcharges rose from 23.50% to 30.25% in three months. How fuel prices reach your shipping bill, and what you can control.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.efulfilment.eu\/en\/fuel-prices-ecommerce-shipping-costs-europe\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Fuel prices and shipping costs in Europe | efulfilment.eu\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Fuel surcharges rose from 23.50% to 30.25% in three months. How fuel prices reach your shipping bill, and what you can control.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.efulfilment.eu\/en\/fuel-prices-ecommerce-shipping-costs-europe\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Efulfilment Europe\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/efulfilment.eu\/?_rdc=2&amp;_rdr#\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:author\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/efulfilment.eu\/?_rdc=2&amp;_rdr#\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-10-26T06:24:51+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-10-30T07:56:49+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.efulfilment.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Middle-East-shipping-disruptions-how-fuel-prices-are-affecting-e-commerce-shipping-costs.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1339\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"575\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Raymond\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Raymond\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"8 minutes\" \/>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Fuel prices and shipping costs in Europe | efulfilment.eu","description":"Fuel surcharges rose from 23.50% to 30.25% in three months. 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With 25+ years of experience, a 250,000 m\u00b2 fulfilment network, and 75+ smart carrier integrations, we help ecommerce brands grow faster with intelligent logistics infrastructure.","sameAs":["https:\/\/www.efulfilment.eu\/","https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/efulfilment.eu\/?_rdc=2&_rdr#","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/efulfilment.eu\/","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/efulfilmenteu\/"],"url":"https:\/\/www.efulfilment.eu\/en\/author\/raymond\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.efulfilment.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9692","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.efulfilment.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.efulfilment.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.efulfilment.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.efulfilment.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9692"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.efulfilment.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9692\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9876,"href":"https:\/\/www.efulfilment.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9692\/revisions\/9876"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.efulfilment.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9693"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.efulfilment.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9692"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.efulfilment.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9692"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.efulfilment.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9692"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}