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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to lie to the post office about what's in my packages?

44 replies

dreamingbohemian · 12/12/2011 13:48

Expat here, wanting to send a couple care packages home to my folks -- nothing major, some candies, biscuits, salt (don't ask!), chocolate.

DH kindly offered to take them to the post office. Whey they asked what was in the packages he replied honestly and they said they couldn't ship them as you're not allowed to send food from France to the US -- any food at all.

It's not a huge deal, but I know my stepmother is going through a really hard time at the mo and was quite looking forward to having some nice treats. So I'm tempted to go back myself and say the package is just a few christmas gifts -- no food.

They said if you try to send food it will get caught when they scan the package and will be sent back. I don't believe for a second they are x-raying and investigating every package sent so I think the odds of this are next to nil.

AIBU to try this? I'm normally quite law-abiding but I don't see how sending a few candies hurts anyone at all. DH doesn't think we should though.

OP posts:
WorraLiberty · 12/12/2011 13:49

I'd find out the penalty first

whenPaschagotstuckupthechimney · 12/12/2011 13:50

Wouldn't it be easier to order it all from somewhere in America?

EatMeDates · 12/12/2011 13:50

No point lying, as customs are very likely to find out and then you will be charged big bucks.

oldmerryolesoul · 12/12/2011 13:53

Well if its found it will probably be disposed of and you would of waste your time and money. I dont know the reason for refusal of food (my Mum has gone to the US today and had to unpack the Christmas Pudding she was going to take), but I assume they are not just for the sake of it

Sidge · 12/12/2011 13:54

Really? I sent food from England to the USA (to a Mumsnetter!) and as long as I declared the contents and they weren't sent commercially it was fine.

Obviously I have no idea as to the rules in France but I can't see why the US customs would accept food from the UK but not France.

skirmish · 12/12/2011 13:54

I don't think you'd be fined- you may be sent a letter stating that they'd been held in quarantine and you may have to pay to retrieve them (or the recipient maybe?) I've sent all things like that (except the salt Hmm ) to Australia- and they seem to have the strictest customs about.

You may well end up forfeiting the parcel though- easier for them to dispose than impose fines etc

tyler80 · 12/12/2011 13:54

From memory you're allowed to send homemade food.

Unwrap chocolate, rewrap in homemade style, post Grin

Olderyetwilder · 12/12/2011 13:54

Do you believe that lying is acceptable? If you go ahead you must never complain when anyone lies to you.

Flisspaps · 12/12/2011 13:55

The extent of my experience here comes from watching Border Security (show about Australian customs and immigration)

From what I can tell most countries outside the EU don't allow certain foods to be carried or posted in without the proper certification, and it would appear that there at least certainly pretty much every package is scanned for banned goods - including foodstuffs. Can you not order a nice hamper for her from within the US or send her a voucher (some you can buy online) for somewhere she can buy the treats herself?

wannaBe · 12/12/2011 13:56

they don't xray the packages, they use sniffer dogs.

And yes of course they check the majority of them, otherwise they wouldn't have such success with drugs halls etc.

So while I can see your point, I wouldn't do it as A there is no guarantee the package will even be sent back and you may end up out of pocket, and B, there may be penalties for sending food by post which it is possible your aunt may be liable for as the items were meant for her and she is in the US.

tyler80 · 12/12/2011 13:57

You're on allowed to send food from the UK either. They brought some new rules in around 2004/2005. Was living out there at the time and could no longer get chocolate sent over

tyler80 · 12/12/2011 13:58

You're not allowed

daenerysstormborn · 12/12/2011 13:59

i wouldn't do it. customs officers in the usa are very strict. do you really want to post salt? a white powder, and lie about what's in the parcel? Grin

VirgoGrr · 12/12/2011 14:02

This page from Parcelforce says that homemade and manufactured items sent by private individuals are exempt. It appears to be business senders who need prior permission. www.parcelforce.com/help-information/customs-help/sending-food-usa I think google will be your friend if you check it our a bit more.

Its wise to check these things before wasting your money though.

I have had a parcel with perfume in opened by Royal Mail because it had to go on a domestic flight in the UK and they don't allow alcohol based items on their planes. Learn something every day.

eurochick · 12/12/2011 14:02

I wouldn't bother. Over half of the non-food gifts I have sent to the US never make it to the recipient. The chances of this stuff making it in are minimal. Particularly with a bag full of white powder in there!

NeuromanticisedVisionsofXmas · 12/12/2011 14:03

Actually you CAN send food to the USA, you need to obtain a clearance certificate number first, which you can find out about and do here

Original poster
dreamingbohemian · 12/12/2011 14:03

Hmm, a lot of good points.

It's all low-cost stuff so I don't mind losing the package, but obviously I wouldn't want to be hit with any penalties -- or even worse, for my stepmother to!

I know I could send something from the US but the whole point is to give her some nice French treats (she's a real Francophile).

Let me look at that homemade food rule...

I lived in the UK for years before this and never had any issues sending food back and forth, which is why I'm sceptical they can really sniff out every box!

OP posts:
Original poster
dreamingbohemian · 12/12/2011 14:05

Oh thank you for the links ladies! Grin Yes, let me do some more research...

Don't get me started on the salt! I really don't want to send it but my mum (not stepmum) pleaded for some fleur de sel, which is really cheap here. She's coming over next year though so she'll have to get her own methinks Smile

OP posts:
EdithWeston · 12/12/2011 14:05

Here is a link to the FDA policy. You might be OK - I think it would be worth dropping them an email to describe what you want to send and making it clear that it's a gift from an individual to an individual. If they say it's OK, you can go ahead honestly with the acceptable items (I've done similar BTW about goods to Australia, and the AQA was very helpful). If they say it isn't, then you'll know not to waste your money.

Yes they do do extensive random screening of packages - an anti-terrorism measure. Not every package, but enough.

littlerats · 12/12/2011 14:08

i've done this before - my sister was missing pork scratchings and real cadbury's chocolate (she's in australia). i sent her some and lied on the packet (as i know aus don't allow food items) and they were opened. however, they kindly forwarded the rest of the parcel onto her and she received a very nice, officially stamped "certificate of destruction" for "1 bag of Mr Porky's Prime Cut Pork Scratchings" from customs. I think she liked this more than the scratchings and has it framed on her wall.
i didn't put my return address on the package for fear they would track me down. cunning.
she has successfully received other contraband though so i think it's luck of the draw as to whether it gets through. i did think my package rustled a lot and i suspect a sniffer dog would have been quite intrigued with the crispy pork rind smell.

Rosa · 12/12/2011 14:10

What about the british corner shop ? I am sure they say they post worldwide.

NeuromanticisedVisionsofXmas · 12/12/2011 14:11

but there is no need to lie or risk destruction. You just fill in the online form, get the ref no and you are fine to send it. Thats it.

VivaLeBeaver · 12/12/2011 14:14

I've sent Cadbury chocolate to the US from England and I didn't lie when asked what it was and nothing was said. They wrote chocolate on the label and it got there OK. That link up the page says that its only business that have to comply, private individuals are OK.

Original poster
dreamingbohemian · 12/12/2011 14:18

Well this is interesting, the FDA does indeed say the 'no food' rule and prior notice process are for business, not personal, customers -- but La Poste (the French postal service) say this applies to everyone. That's annoying!

I'm looking at the FDA prior notice thing and it looks like it's more for food imports, not individuals sending gifts.

OP posts:
NatashaBee · 12/12/2011 14:21

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.