This week's biggest stories are about the rules and costs that sit between a factory and a shopper. US Customs wants low-value imports filed and bonded before they land, parcel shipping is heading for its most expensive quarter on record, and UK retailers and their union are warning that business rates could cost 90,000 jobs. We have also added a bonus story on diverging EU and UK packaging EPR rules. Here is what happened and why each one matters for sourcing, retail and supply chain teams.

US Customs has proposed a 103-page rule that would require electronic filing on or before arrival and a bond on every informal entry of $2,500 or less, plus a new entry type for international mail. CBP's own estimate puts bond costs at 72.66% of duties for many small importers. Comments close on 7th December.

FedEx and UPS ground rates are projected to hit a record 43.3% above the 2018 baseline this quarter. Nearly three quarters of the rise in the fuel surcharge since 2021 came from carriers rewriting their tables, not from diesel prices, which means relief at the pump may not reach your invoice.

Retail pays 21% of UK business rates but contributes 5% of GDP, and an alliance of the country's biggest retailers has joined Usdaw to demand relief. They estimate up to 90,000 jobs could go by 2031. For suppliers, the question is what happens to orders when large stores shrink.

The European Parliament voted 616 to 9 to spare small EU businesses from appointing an EPR representative in every country where they sell, but it is only a negotiating position and fees still apply. The UK has said it will not scrap its scheme, and recyclability-based fees keep rising. Cross-border sellers now face two diverging rulebooks.

That's this week's top stories. Hit reply and let us know which of these you want us to keep tracking.