Italy to UK Shipping Price Explained

It’s easy to spot similarities between Italy and the United Kingdom. Apart from the obvious European heritage, both countries are allies in trade, tourism and immigration. Although the United Kingdom is Europe’s second-largest economy, Italy contributes greatly to it. 

‍

With Italy being the United Kingdom’s 11th largest trading partner in 2022, the total trade in goods and services between both countries accumulated to £43.8 billion in the same year. £27.9 billion of this were UK imports from Italy, and with the UK receiving over 4.2 billion parcels a year, you can see how this translates to billions and trillions in yearly shipping fees. 

‍

‍

Factually, the bilateral trade between Italy and the UK is mutually beneficial to both countries, but eCommerce businesses face the brunt of it in shipping fees. Exorbitant shipping fees infringe on businesses that seek expansion into new markets. Hence shipping internationally, for example, from Italy to the UK, may be so expensive that business owners may spiral into taking out loans to finance their yearly shipping expenses. 

‍

Shipping costs apply differently, and eCommerce businesses don’t solely bear shipping costs as consumers are often prompted to pay shipping and delivery fees when shopping online. However, businesses that want to be more accessible to clients in diverse countries will have to ship in bulk, which can be expensive. 

‍

Shipping costs are based on the destination, parcel weight, dimensions, quantity and value, shipping mode, delivery speed, etc. Together, these factors contribute specific percentages to the overall shipping cost and insights into how they’re calculated can help you mitigate shipping costs. 

‍

So, here’s all you need to know about Italy to UK shipping costs. Call it your very own Italy to UK shipping price guide. 

‍

Key Points

• Billions of packages are sent and received yearly between Italy and the United Kingdom. 
• A good percentage of these packages come from eCommerce businesses, whether small, medium or large. These businesses bear the financial responsibility of shipping costs, which can be crippling.
• Factors like destination, parcel weight, quantity or parcel value influence the shipping costs and altering certain shipping behaviours can help you mitigate costs. However, the most sustainable way to save on Italy to UK shipping costs is by using a full-service fulfilment partner like Bezos. 
• This way, you won’t have to source for individual companies that ship, pick, pack or store your stock. You can get all those inclusive services and much more at a fraction of the price. Speak to an expert to start saving!

‍

Italy to UK shipping price calculator

Courier services and 3PLs calculate the Italy to UK shipping price in several ways. However, certain metrics determine the final figure. Let’s explore these metrics. 

1. Mode of shipping

Sending a package from Italy to the United Kingdom can be achieved in three major ways:

‍

• Air
• Sea
• Ground

‍

Different prices apply to each method. Here’s what they entail:

‍

‍

Air freight

Shipping via air freight is a quick way of getting your inventory from Italy to the UK. Most cargo planes can take your stock from anywhere in the world to the UK in under four days. However, if it’s an Italy to UK cargo plane, you will likely receive it in a day. On the other hand, air freight is a notoriously expensive shipping method, even for relatively short distances like from Italy to the UK. However, the convenience associated with it justifies its exorbitant prices. Thus, this might not be an option for eCommerce businesses on a budget. 

‍

Sea freight

Shipping from Italy to the UK by sea involves containers and shipping ports. Italy and the UK have several ports. A few of them are:

‍

Italy

UK

Port of Napoli

London Thamesport

Port of Livorno

Port of Felixstowe

Port of Genoa

Port of Southampton

Port of Cagliari

Belfast Harbour

‍

The shipment’s destination determines the ports to be used. Sea shipping from Italy to the UK can take about four to ten days. While it may take longer, sea freight costs about five times less than air freight, but the cost of containers takes up a large percentage of the cost of sea shipping. 

‍

The containers used for sea freight could be 20ft or 40ft. While this gives eCommerce businesses the safety and capacity to ship large amounts of inventory simultaneously, filling this container isn’t mandatory. You can share a container with other individuals or businesses if your cargo is around 15 cubic metres. This occurrence is termed Less Than Container Load (LCL). However, the price of shipping from Italy to the UK with a filled 40ft container ranges from £3,600 to £4,100. 

‍

Road freight

You can ship your inventory from Milan, Rome, Verona, Naples, Venice, etc., to the United Kingdom by road. This option would take longer, but several 3PL companies can fast-track it. However, you’d need to choose their express services for that. Shipping from Italy to the UK via road involves large trucks and groupage, which essentially puts shipments with the same destination together. You can also do full or part loads on the truck with road freight. Nevertheless, the average cost of shipping a truckload of merchandise from Italy to the UK is about £1,500, but this rate could go higher or lower depending on other factors. 

‍

Disclaimer: Since 2021, customs clearance has been required on all goods entering or exiting Great Britain. This is another fee that eCommerce businesses bear as a financial responsibility. 

‍

2. Shipping destination

The shipment’s destination determines the travelled distance, influencing the shipping cost. For instance, shipping a parcel from the US to Canada would cost less than shipping the same parcel from Italy to Canada. The destination and travelled distance also determine the workload and resources that would need to be allocated to deliver the shipment. For instance, US-to-Canada shipping can be done by road, but Italy-to-Canada shipping cannot. 

‍

‍

Carriers and 3PL companies calculate the inconveniences a shipment’s destination would create and append it to the shipping costs. They use dynamic geographic zones to estimate the distance a shipment needs to travel to reach its destination. Thus, the greater the distance from the source to the destination, the higher the shipping costs. 

3. Package weight and dimensions

When requesting a free quote from any logistics partner, you’re often prompted to input some details about the shipment. You’ll be asked to input the location the shipment will be shipped from (origin) and the location it’s going to (destination). The chosen carrier will also inquire about the shipment’s weight and dimensions. Most 3PL companies will seek metrics like the shipment’s:

‍

• Length
• Width
• Height
• Weight
• Quantity.

‍

Based on the provided info, the 3PL provider can run accurate estimates on the shipping costs and give you feedback. 

‍

While the shipment’s destination influences the shipping costs, its weight and dimensions do too. For instance, it hypothetically costs more to ship a car from Italy to the UK than it would a box of clothes. The weight and dimensions of a shipment also determine the resources that would be invested in that shipment’s delivery. 3PL companies calculate shipping costs based on the billable weight of the parcel. This billable weight is the parcel’s weight-to-cost ratio, and it’s denoted as dimensional weight or DIM. 

‍

Another avenue that several 3PL companies use to charge outrageous shipping costs is the parcel’s stackability. Odd-sized, cylindrical or bulky packages are usually difficult or impossible to stack during shipping. Parcels with higher DIM weights are usually odd-sized or bulky, making them non-stackable. 3PL companies append ‘handling surcharges’ to the shipping fee to handle such packages, increasing overall costs. As a shipping tip, you can absolve yourself of these extra fees by boxing up your packages to make them easier to handle. 

‍

4. Shipment’s value

The value of the shipment you’re sending from Italy to the UK contributes to the calculated shipping costs. While a few 3PL companies may require you to declare the parcel’s value before they give you a quote, others may require it once they’re about to ship. The value of the shipment determines its need for insurance. It also influences service quality. For instance, shipping an Hermes Birkin bag would require shipping insurance and meticulous service from the shipping company. 

Shipping insurance increases shipping costs. It’s usually 0.3% to 0.5% of the shipment’s value, which is a lot, especially for luxury goods. However, the best part is that this insurance indemnifies the sender of any risks incurred during shipping. Thus, if the item is damaged, stolen or lost in transit, the 3PL company is liable and mandated to reimburse the sender the equivalent financial loss. 

‍

5. Delivery time

The strong postal networks between Italy and the UK narrow the delivery time from three days to under two weeks, depending on the shipping mode. While this timeframe is swift, some customers prefer faster deliveries, increasing the shipping price. For instance, most eCommerce businesses in partnership with 3PL companies offer diverse delivery options, which could be standard or expedited delivery variations. 

‍

Standard deliveries exhaust more time, while expedited deliveries in the form of next-day delivery, same-day delivery or express delivery take less time. Online shoppers that choose expedited delivery options are charged higher shipping fees than those who choose the standard option. In the same vein, eCommerce businesses that want to quickly match the demand for their merchandise by choosing expedited shipping options will be charged higher shipping fees than those who choose default options. 

‍

Other metrics that influence shipping costs include:

‍

• Customs and duty fees (which apply to any parcel entering and exiting the UK)
• Surcharges (which apply for dangerous goods, address change, non-stackable packages, weekend deliveries, etc.).

‍

Italy to UK shipping costs by Bezos vs other providers

At Bezos, you’re guaranteed 100% transparency in our pricing options. Our full-service offerings are void of hidden fees, setup or integration fees, and the best part is that eCommerce businesses can cancel their subscriptions with us at any time. Apart from our transparent business model, we offer the most affordable shipping prices you may ever come across. This, alongside our AI-integrated fulfilment solutions, is our competitive advantage. 

‍

‍

Bezos’ shipping costs are affordable, regardless of the origin or destination. Our 63 fulfilment centres in 17 countries make global fulfilment not just possible but swift and excellent. By partnering with us, eCommerce businesses of all niches can save up to £2 in fulfilment costs on every order they receive. This isn’t all. With Bezos’ full-service fulfilment solutions, you get the best deal on all eCommerce supply chain logistics processes like order picking, packing, storage, labelling, delivery and returns. The best part is that the affordability of our shipping costs applies to local and international fulfilment. 

‍

With a fulfilment partner like Bezos, eCommerce businesses can save up to 80% on their international order fulfilment. This includes shipping, storage, delivery, labour and packaging costs. This isn’t just marketing jargon. It’s a proven perk of partnering with us. Just ask one of our satisfied clients, BikeFinder, who is enjoying this and other countless perks of fulfilling internationally with Bezos. Hence, partnering with us can reel in amazing savings for your business whenever you ship from Italy to the UK. 

‍

Here’s how our Italy to UK shipping rates compare to other providers:

‍

Provider

Bezos

Service

International shipping

Cost

£12.03

Delivery time (business days)

1-2 days

Shipment dimensions (LxWxH)

45 x 35 x 16

‍

Provider

DHL

Service

Standard import

Cost

£36

Delivery time (business days)

1-4 days

Shipment dimensions (LxWxH)

45 x 35 x 16

‍

Provider

DHL

Service

Express import

Cost

£94

Delivery time (business days)

1-3 days

Shipment dimensions (LxWxH)

45 x 35 x 16

‍

Provider

FedEx

Service

Economy

Cost

£102

Delivery time (business days)

1-4 days

Shipment dimensions (LxWxH)

45 x 35 x 16

‍

Provider

FedEx

Service

Intl. priority 

Cost

£140

Delivery time (business days)

1-2 days

Shipment dimensions (LxWxH)

45 x 35 x 16

‍

Provider

Parcelforce Worldwide

Service

Global value

Cost

£47

Delivery time (business days)

5-7 days

Shipment dimensions (LxWxH)

45 x 35 x 16

‍

Provider

Parcelforce Worldwide

Service

Global priority

Cost

£51

Delivery time (business days)

3-5 days

Shipment dimensions (LxWxH)

45 x 35 x 16

‍

Provider

Parcelforce Worldwide

Service

Global express

Cost

£117

Delivery time (business days)

1-2 days

Shipment dimensions (LxWxH)

45 x 35 x 16

‍

Provider

UPS

Service

Express saver

Cost

€28

Delivery time (business days)

3-4 days

Shipment dimensions (LxWxH)

45 x 35 x 16

‍

Provider

UPS

Service

Standard

Cost

€32

Delivery time (business days)

Next business day (before the end of day)

Shipment dimensions (LxWxH)

45 x 35 x 16

‍

Provider

UPS

Service

Priority

Cost

€39

Delivery time (business days)

Next business day (before 10:30)

Shipment dimensions (LxWxH)

45 x 35 x 16

‍

Evidently, where shipping costs are concerned, Bezos floors other 3PL providers in the best way. We can help you reach and maintain clients in the most remote locations at no extra cost to your business. Why? Because we’re committed to helping you scale. Request a free quote to get a headstart on global domination. 

‍

Conclusion

Italy and the UK share strong ties that aspects like trade, tourism, etc., have preserved. Both countries send and receive billions of packages from each other yearly. However, with the high shipping costs, eCommerce businesses in Italy experience bottlenecks in gaining and maintaining clients in the UK. This is because shipping from Italy to the UK can go as high as £3,000 depending on the weight, quantity and mode of shipping. However, it can also be as affordable as £15. 

‍

Experiencing low shipping prices for Italy to UK shipments is possible regardless of the shipment’s weight and other variables. However, accessing these economical shipping costs is only possible with Bezos, and with our full-service, tech-enabled fulfilment solutions, you’re getting the best of both worlds. Our solutions equip small, medium and large eCommerce businesses to gain, reach, serve and maintain a globally diverse clientele and scale within their niches. There’s no reason to wait. Speak to our experts to get started on your business’ journey to global domination. 

‍

FAQs

How much does it cost to ship from Italy to the UK?

Italy to UK shipping costs differ with each courier company or 3PL provider. However, with reference to variables like weight, shipping mode, delivery speed, etc., it can cost anywhere from £50 to £3,000. Nevertheless, partnering with Bezos gives you access to a starting price of £12. 

‍

What’s the fastest delivery from Italy to the UK?

Airmail is the fastest way to deliver from Italy to the UK. Depending on the logistics company, air freight can take a few hours to under two days to complete. The only flaw in shipping by air is its expensive cost. Air freight costs about five times that of sea, and not many eCommerce businesses can afford to ship by air all year round. 

‍

Why is shipping to the UK so expensive now? 

Shipping to the UK has been more expensive since Brexit in 2021. Since then, customs and duties have applied to each parcel entering and leaving the UK. Senders now have to pay the applicable customs and shipping fees before sending a package to the UK, increasing the overall shipping costs. 

‍

‍