Overview
- The Paketsteuer took effect on 1 October 2026 and large online retailers and marketplaces began showing a €2.40 line item per Austrian order at checkout.
- The levy applies to shipping merchants with more than €100 million in Austrian turnover and is expected to cover about 14–16 major platforms while also hitting roughly 4,000 Austrian sellers who use those marketplaces.
- Retailers can remit the charge per package or per order and most big platforms are charging it once per order, a choice that increases the burden on very low‑priced items and single‑item purchases.
- The government says the fee will fund a VAT cut on selected basic foods and expects about €280 million a year in revenue, but critics say the rule will raise consumer costs and is unlikely to meet its stated environmental or local‑commerce goals.
- Several firms have signalled legal action and challenges are already under way, including a constitutional case from Zalando and complaints or reviews contemplated by Amazon, Otto and the Handelsverband, leaving the law’s long‑term status uncertain.