Asos in talks with German authorities over customs duty dispute

The regulator is pursuing the online fashion giant in a legal dispute over customs declarations on its shipments crossing the German border over several years, reported the Financial Times.

Asos said it was contesting the assessments by the German customs authority and that it considered the “maximum exposure to be immaterial”.

The retailer said it had reviewed more than 95% of the tens of thousands of customs declarations and estimates an additional liability of €500,000 (£435,295).

Asos told Retail Week in a statement: “Asos Germany has been engaged in ongoing discussions and legal processes with the German customs authority following assessments relating to import duty corrections for prior financial periods. 

“We have completed an extensive review of more than 95% of the tens of thousands of customs declarations in question. Based on this analysis, which is compliant with World Trade Organisation customs valuation methods and fully supported by external legal counsel, we are confident that the actual additional liability is €0.5m. 

 “We continue to engage with the authorities and follow the relevant legal processes and are confident of a successful conclusion of the matter.” 

Asos revealed last month that it expects profit to be at the lower end of its guidance range, despite sales coming in below expectations, as it enters the “final phase of its transformation”.

The retailer said during the second half of the year, it had “delivered meaningful cost actions which, while not delivering a material benefit during the period, have permanently lowered Asos’ exit cost base” to realise “significant” annualised savings in the 2026 financial year.