Big Brother is watching your parcels!

I often send parcels to Finland for Grandkids - I always tell the truth (why not) toys, books etc
If you lied and there was an explosion or fire from batteries for instance.
or you'd sent plants to NZ -they are really funny about that.
perhaps you could be sued later?
If they could find you - I usually put the sender's postcode on my parcels.

I live in Northern Ireland and have been asked what's in my parcels for the last 5 or 6 years. I tried saying "gifts" but had to be specific. It's nonsense really as they have no way of checking you're telling the truth.

Have been asked what’s in the parcel for at least the last 4 years and some of them are addressed to town 10 miles away!! Thought it was pretty standard now.

One of the advantages of the EU is that customs declarations are not needed between countries that are members. Sending parcels anywhere else does require a declaration.

Surely it makes sense to mark any parcels containing inflammable goods?

Admittedly, it can be annoying having to fill in a declaration and it does mean you should really be present when a parcel is wrapped if you are sending it for someone else. The Israelis have lived with these precautions for years, and we all know not to take parcels on board a plane unless we can answer for the contents.

My local post office has a serve yourself section where you just key in yes or no on the machine when it asks about restricted/dangerous items, much better. I once had a row with a very officious jobsworth as I couldn’t remember every little item in a present parcel, even though I assured him there was nothing on the list he wouldn’t serve me!

Senders needs to remember that (certainly for USA) their parcel could be X-rayed. So being honest about the contents is crucial in order to reduce the possibility of the opening (and delaying ) of parcels by US customs/security.

Annoying as if you are honest and say candles, books etc they write it on and the person at the other end knows all their surprise presents!! Stick to being vague.

Have been asked re parcel contents for years now and used to get away with saying 'gift' but now have to be more explicit. Local PO lady always apologises for having to ask. Dreadful when have to fill in form for certain countries and also have to state cost of article - not much of a surprise present for recipient.

Even more annoying when the parcels go missing - and I'm sure it's because the contents are known. We've 'lost' two to Canada this year. very upsetting.

Before Christmas I posted a handmade hobby horse to DGD. The lady in our village post office was amused and interested in the odd shape of the parcel - long and thin but triangular and bulky at one end. She asked what it was, more out of curiosity than a professional interest. I told her. She hesitated and reached for a small form saying "I'd better write that on here, just in case someone thinks it's a rifle". I laughed and she explained that in a rural area like ours its not unknown for people to send firearms through the post!! I asked if she had to say exactly what it was as it was a surprise, so she wrote childs toy. It got there OK.

Grannyben I've been in the line and a man was sending live tropical fish.

This week I looked into sending my sister in Ireland an e-reader (Kindle) and apparently the rechargeable battery inside them means this is is also illegal to send outside of the UK
Can anyone tell me how Amazon get their kindles to customers abroad...?

homefarm I wonder if they'll get there eventually? One parcel sent airmail to Australia at the end of November arrived in March - it cost a lot to post.
This year a small airmail parcel posted 1st December arrived the week after Christmas.

Caztown I could post a mobile phone complete with battery inside it by airmail but could not post the battery separately

This has been going on for years. I tried saying 'dirty underwear' once but it just got me a dirty look.

Have also tried asking for the list of banned items and perusing that then saying 'none' of these things' but the PO staff have to follow the rules.

For example - There is an issue with lithium batteries, not all are safe, and there have been instances of spontaneous explosion, so these are restricted as to power.

I think we also need to be aware that parcels are scanned for content.

Suggest protesting every time.

Thank you Jalima1108. There may be hope yet. The parcels were posted beginning of October. 3 have arrived and the really important one hasn't and yes they are very expensive to post.

I regularly take parcels to the post office on behalf of work and they almost always ask - or more usually tell me (it is a small local post office with not much changeover of staff )

Our local post office lady asks every time and also gives the parcel a good squeeze!

How odd, Caztown that you couldn’t send a Kindle because of the battery. I posted my old mobile phone, complete with battery, to a friend in The Gambia and it got there safely with no problems. I had to fill out a Customs Declaration form and then had to send my friend £30 so he could pay the customs charge before he could have it. But there was no problems with sending it.

Interesting thread. I’m well used to declaring contents (albeit, when possible, in a way that ensures the recipient doesn’t know exactly what their gift is). I have to laugh at comments on here such as “our postmistress knows everyone in the village” and “suggest protesting every time”.
The post office staff certainly don’t make the rules up as they go along and look for extra work to do! Auditors look for exceptions in procedure and would black mark post offices not complying. Unfortunately, these measures are put in place for a reason and we have to like it or lump it!

Vicky am confused as to why you ‘laugh’.It’s a simple fact that I stated about our PO staff knowing most people in the village, we all go to the same groups, so why wouldn’t they know us? I have never been asked what is in a parcel, and DD who posts things regularly (ebay) is never asked ( same PO.) I started the thread because for the first time ( at another PO) I was asked questions, and was taken aback by it.

In other (shorter) words, not all PO especially in villages ask what is in parcels and packets ( even if they should do.)

I have a couple of PO's in the town I live in. I've always been asked at one and never at the other. The parcels are always for delivery in the UK and I was surprised the first time ithappened, but understand the need.
I do think agree that if you were sending anything you shouldn't, you're not likely to say that ?

Apologies for the errors in that post ?

Point taken lemongrove. Didn’t mean to sound unkind. Just that in a previous life if I vouched for someone in security questions, I would be laughed at. Apologies.

No need for an apology Vicky .....I just wondered that’s all.