Belgium's E-Commerce Delivery Law: What Online Retailers Must Know in 2026
In summary
Since 21 September 2024, any business selling online to Belgian consumers must offer at least two different delivery options at checkout. The aim is environmental: nudging customers toward alternatives to home delivery, such as pickup points or lockers. The rule remains fully in force in 2026. The law does not strictly require one option to be “green,” but it clearly steers toward more sustainable delivery methods.
What Does the Belgian Last-Mile Delivery Law Say?
In 2024, Belgium amended its Code of Economic Law to make online sellers responsible for their delivery practices. This shift reflects broader changes in urban planning, sustainability goals, and customer experience. For logistics and e-commerce managers, understanding its scope is essential: it affects the customer experience, but also fleet composition, carrier relationships, and emissions reporting.
Concretely, since 21 September 2024, any e-commerce business selling to Belgian customers must:
- offer at least two different delivery options at checkout.
The legislator’s intent is environmental: by highlighting alternatives to home delivery (pickup points, lockers), last-mile emissions are reduced. The law does not, however, legally require one of the options to be “green”: the seller remains free to choose the options, even if offering a pickup point or locker is the simplest way to meet the spirit of the rule.
Who Must Comply?
The rule covers a wide range of retailers, national and international, with a few exceptions based on company maturity and product type. Even when exempt, there are strong commercial reasons to align quickly: customers increasingly reward sustainable practices, and marketplaces tend to impose their own standards.
It applies to:
- all e-commerce retailers operating in or targeting Belgium;
- both national and cross-border sellers (including foreign webshops).
Exemptions:
- businesses active for less than 3 years;
- cases where only one option is genuinely feasible (meals, heavy or bulky goods requiring a specialised carrier, items installed at the customer’s premises);
- store-pickup-only businesses (click and collect).
Delivery obligations are not the only rules changing in 2026. Belgium’s low emission zones are tightening too, especially in Brussels — worth anticipating if your deliveries pass through city centres.
Why Was This Rule Introduced?
The regulation is not arbitrary. It follows years of pressure from several parties: cities seeking to cut pollution, citizens frustrated by traffic, and customers demanding faster and greener options. Understanding the “why” helps align operations with compliance, but also with long-term strategic advantage.
- Urban congestion and emissions: last-mile delivery weighs heavily on traffic and emissions in Belgian cities like Brussels and Antwerp. The law supports national and European climate goals for mobility.
- Consumer expectations: more and more customers favour brands offering greener delivery options, and some avoid those that do not.
What Counts as a More Sustainable Delivery Option?
Compliance sometimes requires operational adjustments, or even new partnerships. Many retailers wonder what counts as a “more sustainable” option. The alternatives generally recognised as greener than individual home delivery are:
- parcel lockers (bpost, PostNL);
- pickup points (shops, lockers);
- cargo bikes and bike couriers;
- electric vehicle delivery;
- urban micro-hubs with an emission-free final leg.
Retailers can rely on 3PL partners, but it is up to them to ensure these options are genuinely available and verifiable.
What Are the Risks of Non-Compliance?
Compliance is overseen by the FPS Economy (Federal Public Service Economy). A business that fails to offer at least two delivery options exposes itself to the penalties provided by the Code of Economic Law regarding information and consumer protection, on top of a reputational risk and a disadvantage against marketplaces applying their own standards. The amounts depend on the nature and repetition of the breach; for a specific case, it is better to check with the FPS Economy or a legal adviser than to rely on a generic figure.
What Retailers Should Do Now
With the rule now in force and customer expectations rising, logistics and retail teams have every reason to act. Whether you work with 3PLs or in-house, these steps prepare the future of your order flow, partner selection, and sustainability tracking. Beyond avoiding penalties, it is an investment in conversion and trust.
- Update your checkout to display at least two delivery options.
- Highlight a low-emission or more sustainable option (pickup point, locker).
- Ensure the compliance of your 3PL partners.
- Keep proof (checkout screenshots, contracts, carrier records).
- Track delivery emissions where possible.
- Communicate the options clearly throughout the customer journey.
An Opportunity for Logistics Providers
Where some see a constraint, smart providers see new demand: low-carbon delivery technology, smarter route management, scalable last-mile infrastructure. Retailers need turnkey compliance. Now is the time for urban freight, courier services, locker solutions or fulfilment software to grow. Offering several delivery options also tends to improve checkout conversion.
Written by the Logistics & Compliance team at Record Express.
Updated October 2026
FAQ
- Q: What exactly does the Belgian e-commerce delivery law say?
- A: Since 21 September 2024, online sellers to Belgian consumers must offer at least two different delivery options at checkout.
- Q: Who enforces this rule?
- A: The FPS Economy (Federal Public Service Economy).
- Q: Do marketplace sellers have to comply?
- A: Yes. Sellers on platforms like Amazon or Bol.com remain subject to the rule.
- Q: Must one of the two options be “green”?
- A: No. The law requires two different options; it does not make a “green” option mandatory. Its purpose is still environmental, and offering a pickup point or locker is the simplest way to move in that direction.
- Q: Are young businesses exempt?
- A: Yes, businesses active for less than 3 years, as well as cases where only one option is genuinely feasible (meals, heavy goods, installed items) and store-pickup-only businesses.
- Q: How do you prove compliance?
- A: By keeping your delivery policies, 3PL contracts, emissions data and checkout screenshots.
