The UK as the first port of call for Ecommerce going to Europe, and reductions in Aid to Africa

The effects of Brexit, the UK’s exit from the EU, continues to cause concern for African ecommerce shops selling to the UK and the EU. In the past the ‘one-stop-shop’ approach allowed a trader to use one EU country as the point of import and then distribute throughout the 28 countries of the EU. The UK was a favourite choice of first destination for SA e-shops, however since the UK cut its ties with the rest of the EU, it is much more challenging to use as the first point of import for African goods destined for Europe. Goods travelling from the UK to Europe are frequently delayed by British customs procedures.

The UK decided in March to slash its overseas aid, including a 70% cut in foreign research grants provided by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and distributed by the Royal Society.

Meanwhile the Ecommerce Foundation’s RetailX has just published its report on ecommerce in the UK – Download United Kingdom 2021 – which shows that the British remain one of the most active ecommerce consumers in the world.