If you have recently tried to place an order from outside the Czech Republic, you may have noticed an important change at Peter’s Flytraps: shipping to other EU countries is currently temporarily suspended.
This was not an easy decision, and honestly, it is something I never wanted to do!
Peter’s Flytraps started from my passion for carnivorous plants, especially Venus flytraps. What began as a hobby gradually grew into a small business, but the reason I have continued doing it has never been simply about making money. The people I have met through this community are one of the best things this journey has brought me.
Every order means much more to me than just another sale. I genuinely appreciate every person who chooses to buy a plant from my collection, every message I receive, every photo of a plant growing in its new home, and every conversation with fellow growers from different countries.
That is exactly why this decision has been so frustrating.
What has changed?
Recent and upcoming regulatory requirements related to packaging, environmental obligations and cross-border sales within the European Union have made shipping products to other EU countries considerably more complicated for small businesses.
The requirements can differ from one country to another, and simply being able to legally sell and ship plants within the EU does not necessarily mean that all obligations connected with packaging and extended producer responsibility are automatically fulfilled in every destination country.
For a large company shipping thousands of parcels every month, these additional registrations, reporting obligations, fees and administrative requirements may be manageable.
For a very small business like Peter’s Flytraps, they can become disproportionately expensive and time-consuming.
And that is the difficult part.
Why not simply continue shipping?
I could simply ignore the additional requirements and continue shipping as before.
But I don't want to operate that way.
Peter’s Flytraps is a small business, and I want to keep everything transparent and compliant. If I am going to ship plants to another country, I want to know exactly what is required and make sure I am doing it correctly.
At the same time, registering and complying with completely different systems in numerous EU countries can make individual small shipments economically unreasonable.
When the administrative costs and obligations associated with sending a small number of plants to a country become higher than the actual value of the orders, it simply stops making economic sense.
This is not about the plants. It is about the regulatory and administrative burden surrounding small cross-border shipments.
I am not giving up on EU shipping
The current suspension should not be understood as a permanent decision.
I am currently researching the requirements of individual EU countries to find out where shipping can realistically be resumed and under what conditions.
The situation is not necessarily the same in every country. Different national rules, registration systems, thresholds and obligations can apply, so I am looking at them individually rather than simply closing the door to the entire EU permanently.
My hope is that I will be able to restore shipping to at least some EU countries once I have a clear understanding of the requirements and can determine which destinations are realistically manageable for a small business.
A difficult decision for a small business
Running a small specialist plant shop is very different from running a large e-commerce company.
I grow these plants myself. I maintain my collection, propagate plants, prepare orders, pack them carefully and communicate with customers personally.
There isn't a huge company behind Peter’s Flytraps.
It's just me.
And while I absolutely want to comply with the law, I also have to consider whether the administrative and financial burden of selling to a particular country is sustainable for such a small operation.
I hope that one day the regulatory environment will make it easier for small specialist businesses to sell across borders without having to deal with completely disproportionate administrative costs.
Thank you ❤️
If you have ever ordered from Peter’s Flytraps, sent me a message, shared one of my plants, followed my Instagram, or simply enjoyed seeing what I grow, I want to thank you.
Seriously.
The financial side has never been the main reason I have enjoyed doing this.
What I love most is the community.
Through carnivorous plants I have met so many amazing people from different countries, and some of those connections would never have happened without this little shop.
Every customer has been a part of that journey, and I am genuinely grateful for every single one.
So for now, shipping outside the Czech Republic is temporarily suspended while I investigate the requirements for individual EU countries.
I hope this is only a temporary chapter and that I will soon be able to welcome at least some European destinations back to the shipping list.
Until then, I will continue doing what started all of this in the first place: growing weird, beautiful Venus flytraps and sharing them with people who love them as much as I do. 🌱🪰❤️
Thank you for your understanding and for being part of the Peter’s Flytraps community.
Peter
Peter’s Flytraps