January is often the point where UK e-commerce retailers take a hard look at fulfilment performance. Peak trading is over, pressure has eased, and the reality of what worked and what didn’t becomes clear.
For many brands, this reflection leads to a bigger question: is your current fulfilment provider still fit for the year ahead? Rising customer expectations, tighter margins and increasing regulatory demands mean fulfilment decisions made now can shape performance well beyond peak.
At Active Ants UK, we work with high volume e-commerce brands every day that are reviewing their fulfilment strategy. Below, we set out the non negotiables retailers should be weighing up when switching fulfilment partners in the UK, with a focus on scale, flexibility and operational resilience.
Scale that supports UK and international growth
Growing e-commerce brands need more than a fulfilment partner that can handle today’s order volumes. They need confidence that scale can be delivered without service levels slipping.
A UK fulfilment provider must demonstrate the ability to flex capacity during seasonal peaks, promotional activity and international expansion. Lean, modular warehouse operations allow volume, channels and territories to be added without reworking processes each time.
Carrier flexibility also plays a key role. Tailored carrier selection and reliable last mile performance help maintain delivery promises as order profiles change. Without this, growth can quickly introduce friction rather than opportunity.
Beyond infrastructure, retailers should look for operational support that feels embedded rather than external. Proactive account management, marketplace integrations and adaptable fulfilment processes turn logistics into a true extension of the retail team.
Personalised fulfilment for UK e-commerce brands
Social commerce and evolving shopping habits are reshaping fulfilment requirements. Orders are no longer just about speed and accuracy. Presentation and post purchase experience increasingly influence repeat purchasing and brand loyalty.
European e-commerce continues to grow, with shoppers buying more frequently and in larger baskets, even as average item prices soften. At the same time, social commerce is driving higher spend per transaction in sectors such as health and beauty and fashion.
This places greater pressure on UK fulfilment operations to support on pack and in pack personalisation without slowing dispatch or increasing error rates. Custom packaging, inserts and promotional materials must be managed as part of the core fulfilment flow, not treated as manual exceptions.
Retailers should expect their fulfilment partner to use order and shopper data to enable relevant personalisation, combining automation with experienced warehouse teams to maintain consistency and accuracy at scale.
Flexibility to meet UK and EU packaging regulations
Packaging regulation is now a material consideration in fulfilment strategy. In the UK, Extended Producer Responsibility is adding cost pressure through packaging waste fees. Across Europe, the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation is driving reductions in pack size and over packaging.
Fulfilment providers must be able to respond quickly to these requirements. This includes analysing order data, selecting right sized packaging and adjusting packing logic without disrupting throughput or product protection.
Operational understanding of picking and packing processes is critical. Providers that refine pack selection using real warehouse data help retailers reduce waste, control costs and remain compliant as legislation continues to evolve.
Automated fulfilment that protects margins
Consumer demand for faster and cheaper delivery continues to challenge fulfilment economics. As a result, UK e-commerce brands are placing greater emphasis on partners that can demonstrably improve picking speed, accuracy and labour efficiency.
Advanced warehouse management systems play a growing role, using data driven workflows to optimise stock placement and picking routes. When inventory is continuously positioned for efficient access, order processing becomes faster without adding operational complexity.
The result retailers should expect is higher picks per hour, lower error rates and consistent quality control, even during peak volume spikes. Automation matters here, but only where it delivers measurable operational gains rather than additional system overhead.
From day to day performance to responding quickly to changes in demand, fulfilment capability underpins long term growth plans. Choosing the right UK fulfilment partner allows retailers to scale, adapt and remain compliant without adding operational strain to internal teams.
At Active Ants UK, onboarding is fast and proven. Our proprietary warehouse management system, Maya, is designed for rapid integration and peak readiness, supporting reliable picking, packing and dispatch from day one.
Maya integrates with leading e-commerce platforms including Shopify, Magento, Shopware and WooCommerce, alongside major marketplaces such as Amazon and Bol.com. ERP, customer service and supply chain systems are also supported, with most integrations going live within 24 hours.
Supported by UK and EU fulfilment centres, this enables retailers to scale domestically and cross border without disruption.
Peak season may be over, but fulfilment pressure does not disappear in January. Customer expectations remain high, regulatory demands are increasing and margins remain under constant scrutiny.
Active Ants UK supports high volume e-commerce brands with automated fulfilment built for accuracy, speed and resilience. Whether you are planning a fulfilment provider switch or stress testing your current UK operation for the year ahead, our team can help you understand what needs to change and how quickly it can be done.
Talk to Active Ants UK about switching fulfilment providers and see how automated fulfilment can support your growth in 2026.
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