Hungary, e-commerce and logistics

Hungary boasts a strategic location in Central Europe with easy access to EU markets.

Could it be your next e-commerce destination? How easy is it to send a parcel from the UK to Hungary? Read on to learn more.

Heroes Square in Budapest, Hungary

Why ship to Hungary?

Landlocked in Central Europe, Hungary borders seven countries including Austria, Romania and the Ukraine. It has been a member of the European Union since 2004.

Since the early 2000’s, interest in e-commerce has been continuously increasing, with many more consumers turning to the internet to make their purchases. Hungary has a population of almost 10 million, 79% of which were reported to be online shoppers in 2023. 1

  • 9.6 million (2025)
    Population
  • 2.4 billion USD
    E-commerce revenue

[Stats taken from: https://www.worldometers.info/world-population/hungary-population/, https://www.statista.com/topics/6365/e-commerce-in-hungary/#topicOverview ]

The e-commerce landscape

Acknowledging the boost that e-commerce gives to Hungary’s innovation and productivity, the Hungarian government continues to place a high priority on the advancement of this sector. As a result of government investment, and spurred on by the pandemic, Hungarian online retail has been growing fast, although the war in Ukraine may have slowed that rate.

The e-commerce market in the country is expected to grow almost 10% annually, reaching 5.5 billion euros by 2028. According to Statista, in terms of sales value, electronics and fashion were the leading segments in the Hungarian ecommerce market. Additionally, most Hungarians said that they bought shoes and clothing, medicated preparations and food products online.2

A lot of e-commerce revenue is generated in the last two months of the year before the holidays (Black Friday and Christmas).

Opportunities

The majority of Hungarians who shop online prefer to use cashless payments, such as credit cards and debit cards. Cash on delivery is also popular. Both options are widely available in online stores in Hungary.3

Hungarians aren’t limited to shopping domestically, and many are attracted to foreign brands. The most popular country to buy from is Germany and Hungarians spend US$28.5 billion a year there. The next most popular is Romania, but annual spend is a quarter of what is spent on German products there. Other popular countries for cross- border e-commerce include Austria, Italy and the USA. 4

Making online purchases using a mobile phone has become increasingly popular in recent years. However, desktop computers still account for a significant chunk of online retail sales. Home delivery is consumer’s favourite way of receiving their online orders. 5

According to the International Trade Administration, there is a lot of potential for growth in the computer and technology sector, as the underdeveloped IT infrastructure of the government and educational institutions are a target for EU-financed IT-development projects, along with state money allocated for such projects. 6

Most popular countries to buy from in Hungary (In billion USD)

Logistics

Courier delivery is the most popular shipping method in Hungary, however, pickup points and regular postal delivery are also frequently chosen options.

Parcel machines are becoming increasingly popular in Hungary. eNet reported that when choosing a delivery option, the shipping fee is the most important factor for Hungarians.

Keep in mind

Hungary is part of the European Union (EU). Since leaving the EU, postal items from the UK are treated as non-EU items. This means, if you are sending items from the UK to Hungary, necessary import taxes and customs rules will apply. Goods must be declared to customs authorities at the first port of entry into the Navigating the complexities of EU shipping is SAMOS’ area of expertise, get in touch for help.

What our experts say

“Since the pandemic, e-commerce in Hungary has maintained its momentum. There is a lot of potential in the growing market.”

Simon Perkins, Commercial Director, SAMOS.

To find out more about how SAMOS can help you achieve fast and cost effective deliveries to Hungary get in touch today

1. https://www.statista.com/topics/6365/e-commerce-in-hungary/

2. https://www.trade.gov/country-commercial-guides/hungary-consumer-electronics-and-ecommerce

3. https://ecommercenews.eu/ecommerce-in-europe/ecommerce-hungary/

4. https://ecommercegermany.com/blog/european-ecommerce-overview-hungary

5. https://www.trade.gov/country-commercial-guides/hungary-consumer-electronics-and-ecommerce

6. https://www.trade.gov/country-commercial-guides/hungary-consumer-electronics-and-ecommerce