Flexible return solutions for your international customers With DHL Retoure International, you can offer your customers an easy and flexible return option in the major European countries.

The benefits for you

  • SIMPLE - Uncomplicated billing with a flat rate for all shipments

  • FLEXIBLE - Four return options for returns processing according to your needs

  • Throughout Europe - Convenient parcel returns at more than 115,000 acceptance points in 29 countries through the branch networks of postal companies and DHL - including the largest acceptance networks in the Netherlands and Poland!

NEW label standardization at DHL Retoure International

A new label design will be rolled out gradually across the respective return countries starting from October 2026. The label will be smaller, featuring only two barcodes with a single shipment number, as the national shipment number will be removed. Alternative formats to DIN A4 will also be introduced. No changes are required on your part when requesting labels. Following the changeover, the new labels can optionally be printed in DIN A6 format on standard and thermal printers via the DHL Paket DE Retoure API. The overview below shows the label changeover dates for the respective return countries and the number of label components per country.

The changeover of the labels for the respective return countries will take place in batches. The first batch of label standardizations will take place for selected countries in October 2026. The labels of the next country batch are expected to be converted in February 2027, which will be announced here in due course.

CountryChangeover of the labelsLabel-parts*
CH - Switzerland October 1, 20263
FR - FranceOctober 1, 20262
(More to follow)  

* The number of label parts is as follows: 1 if the sending postal organization is in the EU and does not require instructions (only the label for shipping); 2, if the sending postal organization is in the EU and requires instructions, or does not require instructions but is outside the EU (Label for shipping and customs declaration (CN23)); 3, if the sending postal organization is outside the EU and requires instructions.

Left: Exemplary previous double label; Right: Exemplary new standardised label

DHL Retoure International options

Thanks to the various options offered by DHL Retoure International, you and your customers benefit from the unique advantage of a fully online return process. You benefit from simplified workflows, flexible solutions oriented towards your business model, and accelerated return processes.

Offer your customers convenient, personal and free return booking. Your customer service team receives the return request and produces the label in PDF format. The customer then receives the label by e-mail and can print it out directly.

Offer your customers a free return service 24 hours a day on your website. A link on your website takes customers directly to the online form for booking the DHL Retoure International service. From there, your customers can create and print out the return label straight away.

Make your online offering even more attractive by offering your customers return booking 24 hours a day. With this option, the booking form for returns is integrated into your website. Your customers can use this link to print the return label directly online.

Keep your customer service inquiries to a minimum and make things as convenient as possible for your customers: print the return label for your customers and enclose it with each outgoing item so it is easier for your customers to send things back. The insert solution makes return labels directly available to your customers so that they don't even need a printer.

This might also interest you