EU regulation drives shift to local warehouses amid soaring e‑commerce parcel volumes

A recent Last‑Mile Innovation Report found that the global e‑commerce market handled about 121 billion B2C shipments in 2025, with total parcels exceeding 400 billion. The growth has intensified pressure on last‑mile logistics operators, prompting a move away from traditional, large‑scale delivery models toward more flexible ecosystems that rely on real‑time AI routing, disruption‑prediction tools and data‑driven automation. Operators also face rising labour, energy and regulatory costs, making sustainability measures such as combined electrification and optimized delivery networks essential.

From 1 July 2026, new EU rules governing shipments originating outside the Union changed fee calculations for cross‑border orders. A survey by ID Logistics showed that 37 % of Polish online shoppers intend to favor purchases fulfilled from warehouses located in Poland or other EU countries to avoid extra charges. The regulation is expected to reshape logistics strategies, encouraging e‑commerce firms to locate more inventory within the EU and enhance transparency of delivery costs.