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The service provides what An Post describes as an end-to-end parcel delivery and returns system that aims to overcome barriers that have emerged for businesses shipping to Britain since the UK left the European Union.
UK Direct offers Irish businesses a route to Britain’s 69 million-strong consumer market, with the postal operator saying the service is designed to simplify shipping and customs processes for firms sending goods across the Irish Sea.
According to An Post, the service includes pre-cleared UK customs, three-day e-commerce parcel delivery to the UK via Dublin Port, and end-to-end parcel tracking along with an integrated returns service.
The company said businesses using the system can register and integrate with the service, which operates as a turn-key solution including advance customs payments and tracked delivery.
The launch comes as Irish SMEs continue to face additional complexity and costs when shipping goods to Britain since Brexit introduced new customs procedures and compliance requirements.
An Post said it developed the service after working with Irish businesses to understand the difficulties involved in exporting goods to the UK market.
The postal operator has partnered with Royal Mail on the initiative, which it said aims to provide Irish firms with a more streamlined route to British consumers and improve the online shopping experience for UK customers receiving goods from Ireland.
Demand among Irish companies to expand internationally remains strong. According to Enterprise Ireland, 97pc of Irish companies plan to expand into new markets over the next 12 months, while a recent pilot programme for potential exporters found around two-thirds of participants prioritised the UK as their target market.
An Post said the service is intended to address challenges around customs compliance, shipping delays and returns that businesses have encountered when selling into Britain.
Launching the service, An Post chief executive David McRedmond said the new system was designed to help businesses overcome the difficulties created by Brexit.
“UK-Irish trade is central to Ireland’s economy. This new UK Direct solution reopens that market for businesses facing the challenges posed by Brexit. Ireland’s 400,000-plus 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 from one of Ireland’s most trusted companies,” Mr McRedmond said.
British Ambassador to Ireland Kara Owen said the initiative highlighted the cooperation between the two postal operators.
“I’m delighted to see this new service come to life through such strong cooperation between An Post and Royal Mail. Businesses on both sides of the Irish Sea want simple, dependable ways to reach their customers, and UK Direct delivers exactly that. What matters most is giving firms the confidence to trade and grow,” Ms Owen said.
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