Did you know that the Croatian economy is one of the most developed among Southeast European nations?
About 40% of online shoppers in Croatia shop from cross-border merchants. Most of the foreign online shopping is done from stores in China and the EU.
For a British ecommerce business looking to expand its footprint in the EU, Croatia might serve as an entryway into the Central and Eastern European region.
But expanding into a new market comes with challenges. Understanding international shipping norms and regulations can be time-consuming and complex.
To help you get started shipping to Croatia from the UK, this guide from ShipBob offers information on couriers, shipping costs, customs information, and more.
Cost & delivery speeds for shipping to Croatia from the UK
Are you looking to send heavy packages or lighter goods? Do you want to offer different options for customers to provide more flexibility without it spending too much on shipping costs?
Royal Mail, FedEx, UPS, Evri (The new Hermes), Parcelforce Worldwide, and DPD local, are all leading shipping companies that ship from the United Kingdom to Croatia.
In the table below you can find the services offered by these couriers with applicable rates and estimated delivery timelines for the same route. The prices reflected here are only indicative.
Note: These are general options for consumers’ shipping orders directly from a courier’s store. Rates have been arrived at by using each courier’s specific calculator for a sample package of 2 kg in the month of June 2022.
To know what ShipBob offers when shipping to other countries like Croatia, please request a quote here.
ShipBob’s exact rates for customers will vary as we charge an all-in ‘total fulfilment cost’ that includes picking, packing, and shipping, among other factors.
| Service | Price* | Delivery Time | |
| Royal Mail | International Standard | £12.20 | 3-5 business days |
| Royal Mail | International Tracked | £13.05 | 3-5 business days |
| Royal Mail | International Economy | £14.25 | 3-5 business days |
| UPS | Worldwide Express Plus | £72.77 | 3 business day |
| UPS | Express | £42.77 | 3 business day |
| UPS | Express Saver | £34.77 | 3 business day |
| UPS | Standard | £19.39 | 5 business day |
| FedEx | International Priority | £148.35 | 2 business day |
| FedEx | International Economy | £137.05 | 5 business days |
| Evri | Evri Courier | £59.90 | 3-7 business day |
| Parcelforce Worldwide | globalpriority | £59.40 | 3+ business day |
| Parcelforce Worldwide | globalexpress | £116.58 | 1+ business days |
| Parcelforce Worldwide | globalvalue | £53.10 | 5+ business days |
| DPD local | Classic | £15.35 | 3-5 business days |
| DPD local | Air Express | £74.99 | 4-5 business days |
| DPD local | Air Classic | £54.81 | 5-6 business days |
*Prices for Parcelforce and DPD local are of the home pickup options. FedEx and Royal Mail home pickup options presently come at no additional cost. Also, the size of the parcel was taken as 45cm X 35cm X 16cm (L X W X H) for Evri and DPD local shipping options.
How to choose a shipping courier
It is good practice to research all leading shipping companies before deciding on the right ones to partner with for your international shipping needs.
To help you with the same below is a table with information on the pros and cons of major couriers shipping internationally from the United Kingdom to Croatia.
Couriers | Pros | Cons |
| Royal Mail |
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| FedEx |
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| UPS |
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| DPD |
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| Evri |
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| Parcelforce |
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Shipping to Croatia from the UK with Royal Mail
With a legacy of 500+ years, Royal Mail is a trusted name across the world. It has the expertise to deliver solutions to 230 countries and territories worldwide.
When shipping to Croatia from the UK, International Tracked and Signed is one of its fastest options offered for this route, aiming to deliver within 3-5 business days.
International Tracked and International Standard services also aim to deliver within the same 3-5 business days window. However, the difference is in the level of order tracking offered and also the compensation cover amount.
When to use Royal Mail to ship from the UK to Croatia
Royal Mail is the best choice for sending lightweight articles of up to 2 kg. You may also be able to send some printed documents such as pamphlets, magazines, etc. of up to 5 kg.
The service options offered are among the most pocket-friendly.
Royal Mail is most appropriate for those who want a reliable provider and are seeking affordable solutions for sending lighter goods.
Shipping to Croatia from the UK with UPS
UPS has a workforce of 400,000 people working across 220 countries or territories. This global leader in logistics has been present in Europe for over 45 years now and has a robust network to deliver within the region.
UPS offers a variety of options when shipping to Croatia from the United Kingdom. There are cost-effective options that take longer to deliver and also, other Express options that are priced higher but deliver faster.
The permissible package weight limit of up to 70 kg is also the highest among all the top couriers.
When to use UPS to ship from the UK to Croatia
In addition to being a trusted global name, UPS also offers an array of services such as a money-back guarantee, enhanced customs support, day-definite delivery slots, trackability, a large package weight limit of up to 70 kg, etc.
These are likely to delight and bring added convenience to its customers.
There is also a special platform for small businesses that offers them unique flat-rate shipping solutions and other special services.
If you want a dependable name, are looking for solutions that add to your convenience, and are flexible on the cost, UPS may be the right fit for you.
Shipping to Croatia from the UK with FedEx
FedEx has a well-connected air and road network across Europe. It has been connecting European destinations since 1984 and has a team of 50,000 members in the region that makes logistical solutions happen.
A renowned global leader in the sphere of transportation, FedEx can deliver across 220 countries and territories. Services offered by FedEx to deliver to Croatia from the United Kingdom include International Priority and International Economy.
International Priority is among the fastest solutions available across the range of couriers that deliver to Croatia from the UK. It aims to deliver within 2 business days to the destination.
International Economy on the other hand takes longer and is priced a little lower compared to Priority.
FedEx options are generally priced significantly higher than other couriers.
When to use FedEx to ship from the UK to Croatia
Speedy delivery coupled with robust tracking, increased customs support, and a trusted name are all reasons to choose FedEx when shipping internationally.
A generous weight limit of up to 68 kg is also a positive when comparing it with other couriers.
Shipping to Croatia from the UK with DPD UK
DPD is a reliable name in logistics. It has a network that enables deliveries across 230 countries and territories in the world.
With a strong physical footprint within the UK of over 6,000 drop-off locations, DPD is a credible choice when shipping from the United Kingdom to Croatia.
All its delivery options offered for shipping to Croatia from the United Kingdom come with built-in trackability.
DPD is also working actively to adopt practices that are environmentally conscious. These include moving towards an all-electric fleet and eco-friendly packaging.
When to use DPD UK to ship from the UK to Croatia
Are you someone who likes to keep a tab on shipments but is flexible on delivery timelines?
Are you shipping high-value items and would appreciate the option to buy a handsome cover of up to £5,000? If your answers are in the positive, DPD would suit your needs well.
Its efforts in the environmental sustainability space may also be of importance to ecommerce businesses that value these ideas.
Shipping to Croatia from the UK with Evri (The new Hermes)
Capabilities to deliver across 190 countries and territories worldwide make Evri a sound choice when choosing to ship from the UK to Croatia.
A strong nexus of over 6,000 parcelshops and lockers across the UK also makes it a convenient option.
Evri’s delivery timeline for international packages within Europe is set at 3-7 business days.
However, both collection and delivery do not come with any guarantee but enjoy high success rates.
With Evri, you can also extend your parcel protection to a cover of up to £2,500 at an additional cost.
When to use Evri (The new Hermes) to ship from the UK to Croatia
Are you someone who enjoys the convenience a large drop-off network brings? Do you prefer trackable options, and like your packages covered to a high amount? If so, Evri would be a good choice for you.
Evri also prides itself in having several top UK retail chains such as Debenhams, ASOS, John Lewis as its clients. with clients likes these, it can be enough to build trust with this courier.
Shipping to Croatia from the UK with Parcelforce
A group company of the Royal Mail, Parcelforce Worldwide has a significant domestic footprint within the UK.
It can deliver to over 240 countries and territories across the world and prides itself in being able to reach 99% of the world’s population.
When to use Parcelforce to ship from the UK to Croatia
With speedy delivery solutions, additional compensation cover purchase options, trackable options, and more, Parcelforce Worldwide makes for a meritorious choice when shipping from the UK to Croatia.
The package weight limits sit at 30 kg for pick-up options and 20 kg for post-office drop-offs.
Duties & taxes when shipping to Croatia from the UK
To safeguard its national economy each country levies customs duties and taxes on imports. This also depends on the relations of the country of import with the country of export.
Since 2013, Croatia has been an EU member state. This means the rules governing import and export within this region apply to Croatia as well.
Due to Brexit, the United Kingdom is not considered a part of the EU single market. This means that goods exported from the UK to the EU are subject to applicable customs duties and taxes.
Croatia levies a VAT (called PDV locally) of 25% on all goods. There is a reduced rate of 10% for tourism-related activities.
The former VAT exemption threshold of €22 for non-EU goods was lifted in the year 2021. This means all goods entering Croatia from the UK are charged applicable VAT no matter the value of goods.
If the goods are under the value of €150 and the UK online merchant uses Import One Stop Shop (IOSS), the shopper can know the applicable VAT before purchase.
This can help buyers avoid hassles at the time of import. If the seller is not registered with IOSS, then the VAT will have to be cleared at import.
For goods over the value of €150 customs and duties are calculated by the Croatian customs authorities and are assessed at import.
In some cases, the courier may clear the duties on the recipient’s behalf. In such a case a disbursement fee may be levied by the courier over the cost of duties.
Some categories of goods may attract excise duties and taxes such as tobacco and tobacco products, etc. The trade of such goods also requires permits and approvals.
Croatia customs information
Goods entering Croatia from the UK may attract customs duties. Therefore, necessary documentation is essential for customs clearance.
The following documentation should be submitted for the import of non-EU goods:
- Importer’s declaration i.e., the Single Administrative Document (SAD). The SAD is a key customs document that contains information on the goods and their worldwide movement. It is critical for customs and VAT evaluation
- Common trade, transport and any other relevant customs documents
- Necessary certificates for quality control and licenses wherever applicable
A company outside the EU is also required to have an Economic Operator Registration and Identification (EORI) number to apply for customs declaration within the region.
Once appropriate documentation and formalities are met with, and duly taxes are paid up, the customs administration of the Republic of Croatia will release the goods to the importer or an agent of the importer.
Since customs information is subject to revisions and changes, it is best to review these before shipping to avoid unwarranted surprises. You can visit the official customs website of Croatia here.
Prohibited items when shipping to Croatia
Goods entering the Republic of Croatia need to adhere to the country’s laws on imports. To that effect, some items are prohibited from crossing the Croatian border.
Additionally, there may be some items that are restricted and require special permits/certificates to be presented for lawful import.
It is the shipper’s responsibility to ensure that the shipment does not violate UK’s or Croatia’s laws and is devoid of any prohibited items. Restricted items, duly declarations, and permits should be produced and shared with the courier before dispatch.
Moreover, each courier follows a country-specific list of items it doesn’t transport.
Therefore, to avoid the risk of shipments getting suspended or refused, it is best to review the prohibited or restricted items’ list before shipping.
Given below are some items prohibited from being imported into Croatia from the United Kingdom.
Items you can’t ship to Croatia from the UK |
| Flammables |
| Perfume and cosmetics |
| Animal products and animal skills |
| Computer software |
| Non-prescription drugs |
| Coffee and coffee samples |
What ecommerce businesses need to know about shipping to Croatia
Croatia became a member state of the EU in 2013. The process of integration into the union is underway. This presents massive growth potential as Croats aspire to achieve the more developed Western European lifestyle.
The country will receive more than $30 billion in EU funding through 2030. This will help provide the economy with a significant boost.
For a British ecommerce business looking to acquire new customers, Croatia presents a host of opportunities.
Below are some insights that will help you initiate your way into the Croatian market.
1. Build a strong customer support system
After-sales service is very important to Croatian customers. The absence of robust post-sales support could often be the deal-breaker, especially for high-end goods such as electronics.
Therefore, as a cross-border business, to win in this market it is important to build strong customer support systems.
Appointing a local distributor for spare parts and maintenance services is recommended and may help you strengthen your customer base.
2. Stepping stone to European expansion
Croatia is geographically very well-placed. Zagreb, Croatia’s capital, is only about a four-hour drive from Vienna, Venice, Budapest, and Belgrade.
The Adriatic coast is only a two-hour drive from this capital city.
With excellent roads, a rail system with improvements underway, and a sound ICT infrastructure, Croatia may serve as the model location for a UK ecommerce business’ expansion into Europe.
3. Use English to your advantage
In a report published in 2019, Croatia was found to be among the world’s best for English language proficiency.
English has become the preferred language of business in Croatia.
For a UK business, these are positive factors and add to the ease of doing business.
However, packaging and products need to meet EU standards. While the Croatian government allows multi-language labelling, one of the languages must be Croatian.
Prepare for global expansion with ShipBob
Ready to take your brand global?
The best way to expand and serve customers across the world is to partner with a global omnichannel fulfilment partner like ShipBob.
Selling internationally can be challenging, time-consuming, and costly. But with ShipBob, you’re given everything you need to serve customers across the globe while saving time on logistics.
We not only take care of picking, packing, and shipping your orders to Croatia with a fulfilment centre in the UK and other locations across the world, we also offer upfront fulfilment costs that include customs, duties, and additional taxes.
By partnering with ShipBob, you eliminate the need to manage retail fulfilment, logistics operations, and hire labour.
The best part about partnering with ShipBob is you get time back to focus on more strategic initiatives like customer service, marketing, and product development.
“We’re not only leveraging ShipBob as a domestic partner, but a global one too. ShipBob is helping us expand internationally and navigate a lot of the technical kinks that come along with that growth.
No one will tell you that going global is easy. But we feel like our partnership has helped alleviate many of those pain points. ShipBob has demonstrated its commitment to our partnership by making the international fulfilment process easier for us.
We currently use ShipBob fulfilment centres in the US, Canada, Europe, and Australia. Global fulfilment is a huge need in the corporate gifting market and a necessity for our clients.
Aaron Patterson, COO of Ben Jablow, VP, Alliances at Postal
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Shipping to Croatia FAQs
Read on to find answers to some of the most commonly asked questions about shipping from the UK to Croatia.
What’s the cheapest way to ship to Croatia from the UK?
Royal Mail’s International Standard is among the cheapest options to ship to Croatia from the UK. You can however only send lightweight goods of up to 2 kg. This may be extendable to up to 5 kg for some printed documents such as pamphlets, magazines, etc.
What’s the cheapest way to ship large packages to Croatia from the UK?
UPS offers flat-rate solutions for small businesses that are priced reasonably for packages up to 70 kg.
For personal shippers, UPS and DPD offer competitive options when shipping large packages. The maximum weight limit for packages sent via UPS is 70 kg and that for DPD is 30 kg for pick-up service and 20 kg for drop-offs.
What’s the fastest way to ship a package to Croatia from the UK?
Both FedEx and Parcelforce Worldwide have options that deliver packages within 2 business days to Croatia from the UK.
Do I have to pay customs duties and fees when shipping to Croatia from the UK?
An import VAT of 25% is levied on all goods entering Croatia from the UK. Tourism-related activities attract a reduced rate of 10%.
Additionally, your package may be subject to customs and excise duties which are calculated by the customs authorities of the Republic of Croatia.
What’s the easiest way to ship something to Croatia from the UK?
Parcelforce Worldwide has a vast domestic network of drop-offs within the UK. This includes 11,000+ post office branches and Parcelforce depots.
There are options with a range on the delivery timeline from 1+ business days to 5+ business days. Additionally, its customers can get added benefits like the option to increase compensation cover, full trackability, etc. The package weight limits are also reasonable at 30 kg for pick-up and 20 kg for drop-off.
All these services make it a very convenient option to choose when shipping from the UK to Croatia.
