Packaging waste piles up as online shoppers try to avoid post-Brexit charges

The volume of packaging waste in Ireland hit record highs last year as more people started shopping online. Repak fears this will increase even further this year. File Picture

Shopping online via UK-based websites could lead to a barrage of new packaging waste as Irish consumers try to wriggle out of paying extra charges post-Brexit.

New rules introduced on January 1 due to the UK's withdrawal from the EU mean that Irish shoppers are now potentially liable for a host of new charges. 

Online forums and channels have been awash in recent days with would-be customers asking each other for what charges they are now liable, as well as advising each other on getting around new charges where possible.

According to the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) guidelines, all online shopping packages received from the UK, excluding the North, will be subject to Vat and customs charges, depending on the value and the type of items purchased.

Irish consumers may have to pay Vat if the value of the items, including shipping costs, is €22 or more, the CCPC said.

It also warned that import charges such as excise duties on some items from the UK, excluding the North, may have to be paid when the total value of purchases is €150 or more.

It has led to Irish consumers online advising others to order items singly, to a total value of less than €22, instead of bundling them as normal at checkout, if they are buying a few things from websites such as Amazon. 

That would mean avoiding some charges, but would lead to an increase in packaging waste, environmental non-profit organisation Repak said.

Repak called on Irish consumers to be mindful of adding to packaging levels, which hit record highs in 2020 as shoppers went online during the Covid-19 pandemic.

"Although Amazon and other overseas online retailers have come forward to play their part by becoming accountable for the packaging they place on the Irish market, we would encourage consumers to consider the environmental impact of their purchasing decisions where possible," Repak said. 

"Choosing to purchase goods as separate orders to avoid Vat charges will place more packaging on the Irish market which is not sustainable." 

According to its data, Ireland’s online packaging waste such as paper, cardboard, and plastic increased by 2,953 tonnes, or 25%, since 2019.

It cost €1m per year to collect and recycle all the packaging from international retailers, Repak said.

Most do not pay towards Ireland's recycling costs, although Amazon has, Repak added.