Poland tops European retail returns fraud rankings

The report, which examined one million returned orders between July 2025 and May 2026, uncovered £29 million in suspicious activity. Following Poland's 10% rate, the Isle of Man recorded 8%, while Greece and Hungary both saw 7%. As return volumes climb—particularly during off-peak spikes like July—these losses scale aggressively. For an enterprise-level retailer, a 7% fraud rate can translate into annual losses of up to £20 million.

Liselotte Reijrink, Sales Director for UK & EU at ReBound Returns, notes that the industry’s rush to maintain customer loyalty through rapid refunds has created a vulnerability. Brands often adopt a 'refund first, ask questions later' approach, which bad actors exploit. Reijrink argues that retailers must integrate behavioral analysis, risk scoring, and physical verification hubs to intercept fraudulent items before they clear the system, rather than relying on blanket policy changes that penalize honest shoppers.