Barcelona to tax logistics companies

Barcelona’s City Council aims for 40 percent of online purchases to be delivered to pick-up points instead of at home in 2023. To achieve this, Barcelona introduced an annual tax for logistics companies that offer home delivery.

The Spanish city council made a proposal in December. It is waiting for its final approval this month and is expected to be applied starting this March.

Annual tax for ecommerce logistics players

According to the plan, ecommerce logistics companies with a turnover of more than 1 million euros a year will pay an income-based tax of 1.25 percent. The tax applies to home delivery of ecommerce parcels, but not delivery to businesses, pick-up points, shops or storage.

The tax applies to home delivery of ecommerce parcels.

According to research at the University of Barcelona, ecommerce delivery accounts for 2.6 million euros of parking costs per year. The total tax that will be collected per year is capped at this level.

‘Ecommerce makes intense use of public space’

The goal of the proposal is to encourage more sustainable delivery as well as level the playing field with brick-and-mortar stores. Physical shops often pay city taxes, while ecommerce businesses are often based outside of the city center.

In Spain, the majority of shoppers still prefer home delivery. City councilor Jordi Castellana told Politico that ecommerce ‘makes really intense use of the public space’. Not only are there many vans, according to the councilor, but there is also a high rate of failed home deliveries.

Delivery vans make up 5 percent of transport

UNO Logistica warns that companies will raise prices.

Although delivery vans have become more prevalent in city centers such as Barcelona, they make up only around 5 percent of all freight transport. Spanish logistics trade group UNO Logistica has called the proposal discriminatory and warned that these businesses will have to raise prices for customers as a result.