Customs Becomes a Margin Driver: Study by Customs Support Group and Boston Consulting Group reveals untapped potential
Rotterdam, September 23rd, 2025 – Customs Support Group (CSG), Europe’s leading independent provider of customs and trade solutions, and Boston Consulting Group (BCG) have published a study showing that customs is no longer a mere compliance obligation but a powerful lever for growth and margins. In 2024, customs authorities worldwide collected between USD 600 and 900 billion in duties – almost one per cent of global economic output. At the same time, complexity is rising due to new sanctions, stricter rules of origin, carbon border instruments, and dynamic duty rates.
- Inefficient customs processes cause significant, often hidden costs
- Customs management becomes a lever for competitiveness and margin protection
- Key drivers: AI, digitisation, and automation
The study, “The Hidden Power of Customs Management in Global Trade,” shows that companies underestimate the economic significance of customs. In Europe, clearance takes an average of two to three days, with 20 to 40 per cent of delays caused by avoidable classification or documentation errors. Added to this are demurrage and detention fees amounting to several thousand euros per container, as well as retroactive duty adjustments going back up to ten years. Overpayments due to insufficient use of free trade agreements (FTAs) or incorrect classification at global companies frequently reach seven-figure sums per year.
Those who integrate customs considerations early into sourcing and product design lower the cost of goods sold, shorten lead times, and reduce audit and reassessment risks.
Data, Digitisation, and AI Accelerate Progress
Centralised data, clear governance, and digitisation and automation create transparency across declarations, payments, product master data, and classifications. AI-assisted classification today achieves over 85 per cent accuracy and detects inconsistencies between specifications and customs filings.
Intelligent document processing halves workflow handling time – freeing specialists to focus on value-adding work. At the same time, the survey shows: 42 per cent of companies view innovation as an efficiency driver, while 27 per cent express compliance concerns about AI use – a clear mandate for human oversight.
Five Levers for More Value Creation
Based on these findings, the study identifies five decisive factors to unlock value:
- Embed customs early in sourcing and design: Lowers duties and cost of goods and speeds time-to-market.
- Centralise data and governance: Increases transparency, reduces error rates, and improves audit readiness.
- Build cross-functional ownership (Tax, Legal, Supply Chain, Procurement, IT): Enables faster decisions and fewer media breaks.
- Establish adaptable processes and systems (bonded warehouses, digital document flows): Creates more resilient supply chains and shorter lead times.
- Scale AI and automation: Delivers correct classification in more than 85 per cent of cases and significantly reduces rework.
Result: measurably lower total landed costs, faster time-to-market, reduced audit and reassessment risk, greater supply-chain resilience, and stronger competitiveness.
“Our collaboration with BCG shows how strongly customs management is moving to the forefront for leading international companies,” says John Wegman, CEO of Customs Support Group and co-author of the study. “Never before has the strategic integration of customs with procurement, logistics, and technology been so crucial to sustainable business success.”
About Customs Support Group
Customs Support Group (CSG) is Europe’s leading independent provider of customs clearance and trade solutions, enabling seamless cross-border operations through cutting-edge digital innovation and deep industry expertise.
With a presence in 14 European countries at major strategic locations, CSG offers the most comprehensive range of customs services in the market. Serving over 60,000 customers and backed by a team of 1,700 dedicated customs professionals, CSG helps businesses enhance operational efficiency and regulatory compliance in an increasingly complex trade environment.
For more information about the Customs Support Group, please visit www.customssupport.com.
About Boston Consulting Group
Boston Consulting Group partners with leaders in business and society to tackle their most important challenges and capture their greatest opportunities. BCG was the pioneer in business strategy when it was founded in 1963. Today, we work closely with clients to embrace a transformational approach aimed at benefiting all stakeholders—empowering organisations to grow, build sustainable competitive advantage, and drive positive societal impact.
Our diverse, global teams bring deep industry and functional expertise and a range of perspectives that question the status quo and spark change. BCG delivers solutions through leading-edge management consulting, technology and design, and corporate and digital ventures. We work in a uniquely collaborative model across the firm and throughout all levels of the client organisation, fueled by the goal of helping our clients thrive and enabling them to make the world a better place.
