Yes, we ship to the United Kingdom again. Because the UK is outside the EU, you pay the UK taxes on beer yourself when your parcel is delivered. Below you can read exactly what that means and what to expect.
What does shipping cost?
- Shipping depends on the weight of your order: €22.95 up to 3 kg (about 6 cans), €24.95 up to 6 kg (about 12 cans), €29.95 up to 10 kg and €39.95 up to 20 kg. At checkout you see the amount converted to pounds sterling. There is no free shipping to the UK.
- We ship with PostNL. In the UK, Royal Mail or Parcelforce delivers your parcel. You get a track & trace link from us.
- You pay in pounds sterling at checkout.
No Dutch VAT
A shipment to the UK is an export, so we do not charge Dutch VAT. The price you pay is the same as our price in the Netherlands.
What do you pay on delivery?
In the UK, beer is an excise product. The UK rule under which an online shop collects VAT at checkout (for consignments up to £135) does not apply to alcohol. That is why the UK taxes are collected on arrival, from you as the recipient. You pay:
- UK Alcohol Duty on beer. It depends on the strength and the volume. Since 1 February 2026 the rate per litre of pure alcohol is £9.96 below 3.5%, £22.58 from 3.5% to under 8.5%, and £30.62 from 8.5%.
- UK import VAT of 20%, calculated on the value of your order including shipping and duty.
- Any customs duty, if it applies to a product.
- A handling fee from Royal Mail or Parcelforce for customs clearance. The exact amount is on your payment request.
Duty per beer, as an example
| Beer | UK Alcohol Duty |
|---|---|
| 33 cl can or bottle, 5% | about £0.37 |
| 44 cl can, 6.5% (for example a NEIPA) | about £0.65 |
| 44 cl can, 8% (for example a DIPA) | about £0.79 |
| 33 cl bottle, 11% (for example an imperial stout) | about £1.11 |
| 75 cl bottle, 12% (for example barrel aged) | about £2.76 |
Worked example
You order 12 cans of 44 cl at 6.5% for £60, plus about £21 shipping (€24.95 for a parcel up to 6 kg). On delivery you then pay about:
- duty: 12 × £0.65 = £7.75
- VAT: 20% of £60 + £21 + £7.75 = £17.75
- plus the Royal Mail or Parcelforce handling fee
This is an estimate. The amount on your payment request is what counts; the euro to pound conversion and the value customs uses can differ slightly.
How do you pay these costs?
- Royal Mail or Parcelforce lets you know that charges are due, with a "Fee to Pay" card, a letter, a text message or an email.
- You pay online at royalmail.com/receiving-mail/pay-a-fee with a UK debit or credit card or PayPal.
- Your parcel is then delivered.
Pay on time: if the charges stay unpaid, the parcel is returned after the deadline. Watch out for scam messages. Only pay via royalmail.com or the official Royal Mail or Parcelforce notice, never via a link in an unexpected text.
Returns and withdrawal
- From the UK you also have 14 days to withdraw. You can do that via Withdraw from your order.
- We have no free return label for the UK. If you send something back, you pay the return shipping yourself.
- We have not received the duty, VAT and fees you paid in the UK to Royal Mail or Parcelforce, so we cannot refund them. In some cases you can reclaim them from HMRC.
18+ only
We only sell and deliver alcohol to people aged 18 or over. That also applies to orders to the UK.
Questions?
Not sure about the costs for your order? Email info@hoptimaal.nl or call +31 85 130 1591 (Monday to Saturday, 12:00 to 18:00 CET). All rates per country are on Shipping & returns.
Questions about this? Email info@hoptimaal.nl or call 085 130 1591.
