Austria parcel tax leads to 10% drop in shipment volumes

Since its introduction on October 1, the parcel tax implemented by the Austrian government has led to an approximately ten percent decrease in parcel volumes, according to industry representatives.

Amazon reported that during the first two weeks, customers in Austria frequently bundled multiple items into single orders to mitigate costs. Margarete Gumprecht of the Vienna Chamber of Commerce noted that consumers are reconsidering single-item orders due to additional costs of up to 2.40 euros.

While the Austrian Post expects a slowdown this year, it anticipates that total transported volumes will still exceed previous year levels. Meanwhile, the Austrian Trade Association has launched an online petition to abolish the tax, warning that the measure could lead to legal disputes and EU treaty violation proceedings.