Global Postal Services Suspend Shipments to U.S. Amid Trump Tariff Expansion

Americans may have to wait longer for their packages to arrive, as postal services across the world announced they are halting shipments to the United States

Postal services across the world are halting shipments to the United States following President Donald Trump’s decision to expand tariffs and close the “de minimis” loophole, which had previously allowed parcels valued under $800 to avoid import duties. The new rules, set to take effect on August 29, require all parcels entering the U.S. to be subject to customs duties, but international carriers claim they have not received sufficient guidance on compliance procedures.

France’s La Poste, Austria Post, and Singapore Post announced they will suspend shipments beginning Monday, while the U.K.’s Royal Mail will halt shipments on Tuesday to allow existing packages to arrive before tariffs are enforced. Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Italy, and South Korea have already suspended U.S.-bound deliveries. PostNord, which serves Nordic countries, and Italy’s postal service enacted their suspensions on Saturday. Australia Post has also paused certain U.S.-bound transit shipments, while logistics giant DHL confirmed it would no longer accept parcels destined for the U.S. from European business customers.

DHL, the largest shipping provider in Europe, also announced this week that starting Saturday it 'will no longer be able to accept and transport parcels and postal items containing goods from business customers destined for the US'

Postal operators expressed frustration over the lack of clarity from U.S. authorities. La Poste said no time was provided for operators to update systems or reorganize operations, while PostNL spokesperson Wout Witteveen warned that the U.S. has no functioning system in place to collect the duties. India’s communications ministry also announced that carriers will stop accepting U.S.-bound consignments after August 25, citing unresolved processes around “qualified parties” for duty collection and remittance.

Björn Bergman, head of PostNord Group Brand and Communication, described the suspension as “unfortunate but necessary to ensure full compliance with the newly implemented rules.” PostEurop, representing 51 European postal operators, warned that without clarification from U.S. Customs, more suspensions are expected.

They cite a lack of guidance since the United States suspended the de minimis loophole, which allowed packages to come into the country duty-free if they were valued at less than $800

The trade changes follow a U.S.-EU framework agreement last month imposing a 15 percent tariff on most products shipped from Europe. The removal of the de minimis threshold means small packages under $800 will now face the same duties.

Experts caution that American consumers will soon feel the effects. Kyle Peacock, founder of Peacock Tariff Consulting, estimated that grocery bills could rise by an extra $40 per week within six months, with coffee and vegetables already experiencing price increases. Arie Brish, a business professor at St. Edward’s University, noted that the full impact will be delayed as companies work through stocked inventories, but warned that price hikes will become unavoidable by October.

Experts say tariffs that have gone into effect this month will soon start affecting Americans' wallets