Retail sector Tax break on low-value imports 'must end faster'

British retailers including Primark, Currys and Boohoo have criticised the government for waiting until 2029 to end a tax break on low value imported goods that has allowed them to be undercut by the likes of Shein and Temu.

- Sarah Butler

The British Retail Consortium, which represents all the major retailers, said there were now 1.6m parcels arriving in the UK every day, double the number from last year, and "businesses cannot afford any delay on scrapping the existing rules".

The so-called de minimis rule allows overseas sellers to send goods valued at £135 or less direct to British shoppers without paying any customs duty and has been criticised for "killing the high street".

Fears about China's retailers and manufacturers dumping goods in the UK have grown since the US revoked its own de minimis exception for Chinese-made goods in May. Under that exemption, parcels with a value of less than $800 (£600) shipped to individuals had been exempt from import tax. In August the US scrapped the tax break for items from all countries.

The EU said in February it would phase out its exemption on customs duties for low-value parcels.