Starting April 17, 2026, Amazon has introduced a temporary fuel and logistics surcharge that directly affects sellers operating in major European markets. The decision comes amid significant instability in global energy markets. Oil prices are sharply rising due to geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, and the shock to the entire freight transport chain was quick to follow.
Why Amazon has introduced this surcharge
The increase in operating costs in the logistics sector is now a reality that all market operators must face. Amazon stated it had internally absorbed these price hikes for a period, but has now decided to pass on part of the actual increases to sellers, in line with what other major carriers are already doing.
Furthermore, please note that the surcharge is not calculated on the product’s selling price. Instead, it is based on logistics fulfillment fees. This distinction is crucial for those trying to estimate the real impact on their income statement.
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Which countries and services are involved
The 1.5% surcharge will take effect on April 17, 2026, for Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) in the following countries:
- United Kingdom
- France
- Germany
- Italy
- Spain
- Poland
- Sweden
- Netherlands
- Ireland
- Belgium.
From May 2, 2026, the same surcharge will also extend to Multi-Channel Fulfillment (MCF) in:
- United Kingdom
- France
- Germany
- Italy
- Spain.
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Concrete impact on margins
On average, the estimated impact is approximately EUR 0.05 or GBP 0.05 per unit for products fulfilled via FBA in Europe. However, this is an average: large or heavy products will experience a greater impact, as will those already characterized by thin margins. Low-priced products and bulky items are most exposed to the risk of margin compression.
To get an accurate estimate, Amazon has updated the following tools: Profitability Analysis, Cost Calculator, and Revenue Calculator. It is advisable to use them immediately to check, SKU by SKU, where the greatest risk is concentrated.
What to do now
It is not wise to wait for the surcharge to take effect to understand how to react: the right time to act is, in fact, now. Here are some concrete actions to implement:
- Recalculate gross and net margins for every product by adding 1.5% to current fulfillment fees.
- Identify the most vulnerable items, especially those that are large or have margins already under pressure.
- Evaluate whether it is necessary to adjust prices before April 17.
- Do not assume the surcharge is temporary: in the past, Amazon has maintained similar surcharges even after the emergencies that generated them subsided.
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The market context that prompted this decision
The root cause of this increase lies in the geopolitical instability affecting major global energy supply routes. The impact has rapidly spread across all transport modes: maritime transport has seen significant increases in time and costs due to alternative routes, while air transport is seeing high pressure on available capacity. Diesel costs have surged to levels that carriers cannot absorb, making the transmission of these increases through the logistics chain predictable.
How we can help you manage these changes
Monitoring the impact of every cost change across hundreds of items is not a task that can be done manually. This is why ZonWizard provides European sellers with profitability analysis tools that allow you to keep margins under control in real-time, taking into account all cost components, including changes in FBA and MCF fees.
Try the Profit Tool for free
Take full control of your Amazon Business. You will see with clarity real profits, margins, ROI, orders, costs and have a balance for each European marketplace. If you are not yet familiar with ZonWizard's Profit Tool, find out how it can help you manage and grow your business.
