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Logistics group DHL is suspending some parcel deliveries to the US from Monday as it struggles to cope with the extra costs and paperwork from new customs rules.
From April 5, US Customs and Border Protection has required goods worth more than $800 entering the country to undergo more stringent customs checks and be accompanied by additional documentation.
DHL said that it was working to increase its clearance capacity but that, given the “substantial” changes, business-to-consumer parcels worth more than $800 from anywhere in the world to the US may face multi-day delays. Changes are not expected to business-to-business shipments but there could be delays.
“To maintain the high-quality service commitment of DHL Express to its customers, starting Monday, April 21 2025, and until further notice, DHL Express will temporarily suspend [business-to-consumer] shipments to private individuals in the US whose declared value exceeds $800,” the company said in a statement.
Germany’s DHL is the first major commercial logistics company to take action as a result of new US tariffs, many of which came into effect on April 5.
John Manners Bell, chief executive of consultancy TI Insight, said it “could be a sign that the global trading system is starting to break”.
“This could become a major trend as postal offices and commercial carriers struggle to cope with the weight of tariffs and bureaucratic burdens placed on them,” he said. “The changes will have real implications for the international ecommerce industry, affecting many millions of parcels that flow every day to US importers, inevitably raising costs for US consumers.”
DHL’s decision, which was first reported by the Sunday Times, follows the announcement by state-owned Hongkong Post this week that it would stop accepting packages to be sent to the US by sea with immediate effect and stop taking airborne packages from April 27 as a result of the new US requirements. The company accused the US of “bullying and imposing tariffs abusively”.
Manners Bell said: “The tariffs and trade processes involved in the customs clearance process are playing havoc with supply chain strategies and this will inevitably result in additional costs and shortages for American businesses and consumers.”
A trade war between the world’s two largest economies is intensifying, with US President Donald Trump imposing tariffs totalling 145 per cent on China, which has responded with tariffs of 125 per cent on the US.
DHL is one of the world’s biggest courier companies, delivering 1.5bn parcels a year. It employs nearly 600,000 people and operates in 220 countries. Last year, its sales exceeded €84bn.