Fewer Temu and Shein parcels in Cyprus. More products inside.

Following the introduction of a €3 customs duty on goods in small parcels from outside the European Union, significantly fewer parcels are arriving in Cyprus. However, the number of items contained within them remains higher than before the change. Data suggests that shoppers are more likely to combine purchases into larger orders.

Before the new rules came into force, on average around 275,000 small parcels per month, containing 330,000 productsIn July, the number of parcels dropped to 160,000, but they contained approximately 660,000 items. In August and September, approximately 120,000 parcels were received per month, each containing 400,000 products. Merely combining purchases into one parcel, however, does not automatically result in a single fee.

Instead of one product — three or four

Customs Department data, quoted by Reporter Cyprus, shows a change in the content of small parcels arriving on the island.

From October 2025 to June 2026, one package contained on average approximately 1.2 productsIn July, the average rose to 4,1, and in August and September it was approximately 3.3 products.

Compared to the previous average, the number of shipments in August and September decreased by approximately 56 percent The number of articles was approximately 21 percent higherIn July alone, it was twice as high as the previous monthly average.

This is an important distinction: fewer parcels does not mean fewer items being imported in this case.

One package does not always mean 3 euros

The new rules apply from July 1, 2026This is an EU solution, also applied in Cyprus, and not a separate fee introduced solely by the Cypriot authorities.

As we explained earlier on CyprNews, Customs duty is not simply charged as 3 euros for the entire packageWhat matters is the number of different tariff categories of goods contained in the shipment.

For example, one silk blouse and two woolen blouses fall into two different tariff categories. In the example provided by the EU Council, this means a total of 6 euros customs duty, even though all three clothes are in one package.

Combining orders may therefore reduce the number of deliveries, but it does not necessarily reduce the amounts due proportionally.

Larger orders, but uncertain about the reasons

Customs Department representative Giorgos Konstantinou confirmed to Reporter Cyprus a decrease in the number of small parcels compared to the period before July.

The data is consistent with the assumption that consumers are placing larger orders. However, it doesn't allow us to determine whether this is solely due to the new tariff. Promotions, seasonality of purchases, and how retailers package and ship goods may also play a role.

The number of packages should not be equated with the number of orders. A single order may be split into multiple deliveries, and the way shipments are organized may change regardless of customer decisions.

Furthermore, the statistics do not show how many residents bought on each platform or how much money they spent. Therefore, there is no basis to conclude that Temu, Shein or AliExpress have not lost customers.

A fuller picture after the holiday season

The Customs Department cautions that it's too early to make a final assessment of the impact of the changes. Data on this small shipment stream has been collected since October 2025.

Comparing the same months year over year will be more meaningful than comparing a single month with an average over a longer period.

Autumn is the time of major promotional campaigns, including Black Friday, followed by Christmas shopping. Results from this period will help assess whether the shift toward more products in fewer packages is a lasting change.

Cyprus has already recorded millions of dollars in revenue

In the previous article we described that from July 1 to August 20, Cyprus was hit by 952,975 products in approximately 243,000 shipments. Income from new receivables during this period amounted to approximately 2.86 million euros.

According to the data quoted at that time, as many as 92% of shipments came from China.

The latest report shows that fewer separate parcels are arriving on the island following the policy change, but they are, on average, fuller. Whether this represents a lasting change in shopping habits will only be determined in the coming months and by comparing year-over-year data.

Sources: Customs Department of the Republic of Cyprus, Reporter Cyprus, Council of the EU, CyprNews.