Amazon Officially Imposes 'Fuel Surcharge': Applies to EU and North American Marketplaces for FBA and MCF Sellers

[Ebrun Exclusive] April 18 – Amazon recently announced that, due to rising energy and logistics costs influenced by the situation in the Middle East, it has officially begun charging sellers an additional "fuel and logistics surcharge" on European marketplaces starting April 17. The company stated that this measure is intended as a temporary arrangement and applies to the Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) and Multi-Channel Fulfillment (MCF) systems.

Amazon notified sellers via Seller Central that the ongoing increase in fuel and logistics costs has driven up operational expenses across the industry. Previously, the platform had absorbed these cost pressures internally, but with costs continuing to rise, the company has decided to offset part of the actual cost increases through this surcharge. Amazon emphasized in the notice that the move is aimed at covering a portion of the incremental fulfillment and logistics costs it is currently bearing.

According to the specific arrangement, starting April 17, Amazon has added a 1.5% fuel and logistics surcharge to the shipping fees for orders fulfilled via FBA across 10 European marketplaces, including Germany, the UK, France, Italy, Spain, Poland, Sweden, the Netherlands, Ireland, and Belgium.

Approximately two weeks later, on May 2, this surcharge will also extend to MCF services in the five core markets of Germany, the UK, France, Italy, and Spain. These markets represent Amazon's primary revenue sources and major market share strongholds in Europe.

In terms of billing, the surcharge is not based on the product's sale price but is directly added on top of the fulfillment and shipping costs, with the specific amount varying according to product dimensions and logistics cost structures. Amazon estimates that, for FBA orders within the EU, the surcharge averages about ?0.05 per item. The company also stated that it will dynamically evaluate and adjust the surcharge based on subsequent cost changes and external environmental developments.

Regarding the surcharge level, Amazon emphasized that, thanks to prior investments in operational efficiency and cost control, this round of surcharges is significantly lower than those imposed by other major third-party carriers. The company reiterated its commitment to supporting seller business growth and maintaining the platform's price competitiveness and product variety.

Notably, this fee is not limited to the European market. Amazon has simultaneously announced that it will introduce a similar surcharge mechanism in North American marketplaces starting next week. In the US and Canadian markets, sellers will bear a surcharge rate of 3.5%, which is noticeably higher than the 1.5% rate in Europe. This difference also reflects, to some extent, the divergence in logistics cost pressures and market structures across regions.

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