If you have friend or relative who has moved to another country, sending a food hamper is a great way of showing you are thinking of them. Not only are food hampers relatively cheap to put together, it will give your loved one a taste of home which they are undoubtedly missing.
When sending food abroad, you do need to be careful as there are certain foods which are not permitted through our network or into the destination country. You will also need to provide detailed information to ensure your items travel seamlessly through customs. This may sound complicated, but simply follow the steps below and your loved one will be enjoying a bar of dairy milk in no time!
Cost of sending abroad
Whether you are sending a birthday gift or simply want to put a smile on your loved one’s face, it may be cheaper than you think to send food abroad and your parcel could be delivered in just 2-3 days! Take a look at some of our most popular international destinations below.
Popular international destinations
|
Country |
Price |
Transit Times |
|
|
|
Germany |
From £37.07 |
2-4 days |
|
|
France |
From £37.64 |
4-7 days |
|
|
Italy |
From £41.69 |
4-6 days |
|
|
Portugal |
From £38.36 |
5-6 days |
|
|
Netherlands |
From £34.51 |
2-5 days |
|
|
Greece |
From £52.28 |
7-10 days |
|
|
USA |
From £38.65 |
2-3 days |
|
|
Canada |
From £34.76 |
3-4 days |
|
|
Australia |
From £40.31 |
4-5 days |
|
|
New Zealand |
From £41.52 |
4-5 days |
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What you can and can’t send
When putting together your food hamper, try to think of items which can’t be easily sourced in their country. Traditionally English foods like marmalade, Cadburys chocolate and Walkers crisps may seem like everyday items to us, but would be a real treat for your loved one who probably hasn’t had them in years.
As a rule of thumb, you cannot send anything perishable (anything which goes off quickly) so meat, fruit and homemade goods are a big no-no! Instead, stick to packaged foods with long use-by-dates (6 months+ from date of sending).
| Can send | Can’t send |
|
Chocolate |
Liquids |
|
Sweets |
Homemade food |
|
Crisps |
Meat |
|
Spreads (marmalade, jam) |
Fruits |
|
Tinned goods |
Vegetables |
|
Packaged biscuits |
Nuts |
For a full list of items, take a look at our list of prohibited and restricted items. We also recommend checking the government website of the country you are sending to.
Our top tips for sending food
| Do’s | Don’ts |
|
Food should be in its original packaging and unopened. |
Don’t send anything perishable. The item you are sending will need to have a long shelf life and should contain preservatives. |
|
All ingredients should be clearly listed on the product’s packaging. |
If it’s hot outside (either in the UK or the destination country), avoid sending anything which can melt, like chocolate. |
|
Make sure the use-by-date is clearly displayed. The product must have a shelf like of more than 6 months from the date of shipping. |
Some food may seem innocuous, but contain additives which are banned in other countries, for example BVO is not allowed in the USA. Make sure you check for additives on the food’s packaging. |
How to package food
To make sure your food reaches your recipient in one piece, you’ll need to ensure your parcel is adequately packaged. We recommend wrapping each item in plenty of bubble wrap and filling any unused space in the box with packing chips.
If you are sending food as a gift, do not wrap the items. Customs officials may need to open the box to check what’s inside and read the food labels. Instead of wrapping, you could source a hamper and fill with tissue paper or shredded paper before putting the food inside. Not only will this offer extra protection, it will look pretty when your recipient opens the box.
Customs clearance for food
Any parcels headed outside the UK will need to be accompanied by a customs invoice. This tells customs officials in the destination country what’s inside the parcel and is used to calculate duty and taxes.
When you send a parcel with us, we’ll gather all of the information needed for the customs invoice as part of the booking process. Once you’ve paid for your delivery, 5 copies of the invoice will print with your label. Simply affix all paperwork to the outside of your parcel so it is easily accessible to customs agents.
To ensure your parcel doesn’t get delayed through customs, follow our simple advice below:
- Avoid using local names: Lots of food items have names which are universally recognised in the UK but a customs official in Brazil wouldn’t know what it was, for example, ‘Welsh Cakes’. Instead of using local terms, give a detailed description of what the item is.
- List all items inside the parcel: If sending multiple items, you will need to list every item and give a value for each one.
- Provide a tariff code: This is an 8-digit number which tells the customs official what is inside the parcel. Our booking form lets you choose from popular items which are sent through our network or search for the tariff code you need.
- Country of origin: You will need to state where the food was produced (this can usually be found on the label).
- Check prohibited items: Each country has different restrictions, for instance baby formula cannot be sent to Australia. It is, therefore, important to check the country’s government website to ensure the food you are sending is permitted.