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A new service is being launched to assist Irish small and medium businesses in dealing with post-Brexit red tape and logistical challenges when exporting to Britain.
UK Direct, which will be operated by An Post, will offer an end-to-end parcel delivery and returns postal service for SMEs, in partnership with Royal Mail.
It will include pre-cleared UK customs and a three-day e-commerce parcel delivery to the UK, as well as tracking and an integrated returns service.
An Post said the UK Direct service, which is being launched today, will offer businesses “a seamless route” to Britain’s 69 million-strong consumer market to sell, ship and scale up.
It said it has designed the system to assist businesses in overcoming the trade barriers that have resulted from the UK’s departure from the European Union.
An Post said Irish SMEs continue to face “complexity, cost and considerable delays” when sending parcels to Britain due to the additional paperwork arising from Brexit.
“Between customs charges and the exacting compliance demands of Brexit, selling into Britain has become increasingly difficult for Irish small and medium-sized firms.”
A 2024 survey, carried out by the Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland, found that 34% of Irish SMEs had reduced or ceased selling to customers in Britain (26% reduced, 8% stopped) due to changes in trading patterns post-Brexit.
Chief Executive of An Post, David McRedmond, said the UK-Irish trade is “central” to Ireland’s economy.
He said the UK Direct facility “reopens that market for businesses facing the challenges posed by Brexit”.
“Ireland’s 400,000+ SMEs are the backbone of this economy, and in building new infrastructure for Ireland, An Post is opening doors to new trade with the UK through a full end-to-end service.”
Mr McRedmond said the new service “removes barriers to trade, providing Irish SMEs with access to over 69 million new customers”.
“Instead of being tied up in the complexities of customs fees or other red tape, they can focus on huge growth opportunities and ensuring a top-quality retail experience for their new UK customers,” he added.
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Chief executive of the Irish Exporters Association Simon McKeever said the announcement marks “a positive shift in how Ireland can do business with our nearest neighbour”.
He said there is “a massive market ready and waiting for quality Irish products and it’s now within the grasp of Irish SMEs, thanks to this practical and highly innovative UK Direct service”.
British Ambassador to Ireland Kara Owen said she is “delighted to see this new service come to life through such strong cooperation between An Post and Royal Mail”.
She said businesses on both sides of the Irish Sea “want simple, dependable ways to reach their customers, and UK Direct delivers exactly that”.
“By making everyday commerce easier, we are strengthening our €2 billion a week trading relationship, the economic ties that sustain the UK–Ireland relationship and support to communities and customers across both our countries,” she said.
An Post said firms can register to integrate with the new UK Direct service, which it described as “a full turn-key solution including advance customs payments, three-day delivery with end-to-end tracking”.
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