If you plan on shipping homemade baked goods or cookies internationally, you will need to pack your parcel carefully since most courier services do not offer special solutions for these items. Whether you are an online store shipping cakes to customers or you simply want to send brownies to someone as a gift, get tips on the best way to send baked goods in the mail. We have gathered below all the regulations you need to know before shipping such items.
BEFORE SHIPPING
Sending fresh baked goods internationally, such as cookies or other homemade sweets, may be tricky if you are not yet familiar with the courier’s best practices and regulations. Here are a few things to consider when sending baked goods and brownies through the mail:
Good to know: food is typically classified as non-perishable if it has a shelf life of more than 6 months.
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PACKING GUIDE
Since most couriers consider this type of item prohibited, your shipment will not be eligible for insurance. For this reason, when sending brownies, pies, or other fresh baked goods overseas, make sure you pack them properly. Follow these instructions to pack your baked goods for shipping:
Many people mail cookies and biscuits to their relatives or friends internationally. To protect your goods for shipping, check these packing tips:
SHIPPING REGULATIONS
The current international shipping restrictions are different for business and individual shippers. Read below the general regulations for sending baked goods overseas by courier or mail, but bear in mind that you should additionally comply with the local legislation when shipping such products.
Licensed companies working in the consumer products sector can ship all types of baked goods internationally, provided they comply with the destination country’s safety, packaging, labelling, and import regulations. They must also have all the necessary certificates and pack the baked goods properly for shipping with authorised transporters only.
It is crucial to check whether certain products can be legally exported to another country. For instance, EU companies wishing to send baked goods to the UK after Brexit must know that besides general EU requirements, they must fulfil the criteria for exporting such goods and possess the necessary international certificates. Read more about international shipping customs.
Shipping homemade baked goodies between individuals is much trickier because most courier companies consider these items restricted for shipping. The main reason for this is that food items often cause leakage, damage to parcels, and tend to spoil quickly. In addition, the shipper must also comply with all the restrictions imposed by the exporting and importing countries, as some food compounds or additives may be prohibited in specific destinations.
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POPULAR QUESTIONS
No, each courier company has its own rules regarding shipments with restricted and prohibited items. For example, DHL, FedEx, TNT and UPS will not ship parcels that contain baked goods or perishable food within the content.
Perishable goods are often on the list of prohibited and restricted items for international shipping. Even though it is not recommended to send brownies or cheesecake internationally through the mail, many individuals still take the risk and send these tasty treats as gifts to loved ones along with other items in the same parcel. In general, there will be fewer complications for shipping these items within the same country or within the EU since parcels usually do not undergo customs clearance in such cases.
If the items are homemade, then ideally yes. Freezing cookies before shipping them internationally is an excellent way to protect them and help them stay fresh. Frozen cookies and baked goods are more solid, meaning they are less likely to break in transit.
The best type of baked goods for shipping overseas are those that don’t tend to melt fast and don’t have perishable decorations such as cream and frosting. It is better to send sturdy baked goods such as cookies, pound cakes, brownies, bread without yeast, muffins, and bars.
Some people choose to ship cupcakes in jars to ensure additional safety during transit and to pack them more easily. To do this, opt for plastic jars instead of glass ones and freeze the cupcakes first. Then, place the cupcakes in the jars and close the lids tightly, bubble wrap the jars separately, and place them into a shipping box with cushioning materials. Close and seal the box.
Even though most Eurosender services include basic insurance for free, parcels that include baked goods, perishable food or other restricted items are not covered. Therefore, if you decide to ship brownies or baked goods internationally, you do so at your own risk, so we advise you to pay even more attention to the packaging stage.
Take these guidelines into consideration when shipping baked goods internationally. Nevertheless, please consider that following them does not guarantee that the courier company will transport your package without restriction. If you decide to send baked goods in the mail or by courier, Eurosender will not be held responsible for any damages caused by the transport of your shipment.
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