Will a €2 parcel tax change our buying behavior?

The call for fair competition in the fashion industry is growing louder. For Belgian fashion stores, it feels like fighting an uneven battle against non-European online giants such as SHEIN and Temu. While local retailers are keen to invest in sustainability, transparency, and service, cheap packages from Asia are flooding our market, often without respecting the same environmental rules or social standards.

During the federal budget negotiations in Belgium, Mode Unie and UNIZO once again called for measures against this unfair competition. They personally handed over their dossier to Minister David Clarinval, who acknowledged that urgent action is needed. The government is now working on a mandatory handling fee for e‑commerce and a tax of €2 per package from non-European countries.

A step in the right direction… but is it enough?

At COSH!, we applaud the fact that the issue is finally on the political agenda! But let’s be honest: €2 per parcel is peanuts.

A symbolic amount that may cover part of the customs costs, but completely ignores the real environmental costs of ultra-fast fashion. Production, transport, returns, packaging, etc. are hidden costs that are much higher than a symbolic contribution per shipment.

Moreover, the measure threatens to have the opposite effect: by introducing a fixed tax per package, consumers may combine more items in a single order to reduce the cost per item. The result? Larger packages, more returns, and more transport kilometres.

Free returns and dropshipping remain the blind spot

Mode Unie and UNIZO rightly point to two other issues that need to be addressed urgently:

‘Free returns’ are anything but free. Every return involves transport, processing, and waste, which has a major environmental impact and entails significant costs.
Dropshipping: where products are shipped directly from third countries to consumers, and escape quality, safety, and environmental controls.

Anyone selling in Belgium or Europe must also comply with European standards. Fair competition can only exist if the rules apply to everyone.

France shows how it can be done

France is already going one step further. The French government is preparing an additional tax on cheap e‑commerce packages from China to protect local traders and limit environmental damage.

At the same time, France is introducing advertising restrictions for ultra-fast fashion and penalising companies that mislead consumers with false sustainability claims. SHEIN was recently fined €40 million for this.

Ironically, that same SHEIN will open its first permanent stores in France in 2025, with a flagship store in Paris (BHV) and branches at Galeries Lafayette in cities such as Dijon, Grenoble, and Reims. It is a sign that online giants are conquering not only our screens but also our shopping streets.

Time to calculate the real price

The Belgian parcel tax is a first step, not the end goal.

To make a real impact, policy must factor in environmental costs, limit return flows, and enforce transparency throughout the chain.

COSH! advocates for an integrated e‑commerce model that focuses on sustainability, fair trade, and consumer awareness. Because as long as fast-fashion remains dirt cheap, we pay the price elsewhere: in CO₂ emissions, mountains of waste, and the disappearance of local shops from the cityscape.

The message is clear: buy less! And when you do buy something, buy consciously, buy locally, buy sustainably. Every purchase is a vote for the future of our fashion industry.