Reminder: what goods cannot be sent in a parcel?

It is a busy time for parcel delivery, as the number of parcels is around double the usual amount. To have a peaceful Christmas, it is important to remember what goods cannot be sent in a parcel.

According to Smartpost Itella client experience lead Triin Parmsoo, the pre-Christmas period is the busiest and the appropriate time to remind people what items they can send in a parcel and which items are forbidden from being sent in a parcel.

“During the pre-Christmas period, we occasionally get surprises – forbidden parcels. The most popular ones are cash or perishable foods sent to relatives for Christmas. Fireworks for New Year’s Eve are sent slightly less frequently but these are still on the forbidden item list and the courier company is not responsible for those parcels,” says Parmsoo, adding that parcels sent from either a parcel locker or with a courier are required to follow the rules.

According to Triin, the list of forbidden items is extensive and was mostly compiled with the safety of the service in mind.

“Smartpost Itella reserves the right to stop processing parcels with dangerous contents and destroy all parcels that pose a risk to the health or possessions of our employees, customers, the environment or other parcels. For security reasons, all parcels’ contents are subject to random checks,” says Parmsoo. She also mentioned that all damages or costs caused by a parcel with forbidden items are covered by the sender.

A list of items that cannot be sent by parcel:

  • Perishable foods (e.g fish or meat)
  • Radioactive, explosive, corrosive (incl. batteries), toxic, flammable or cold intolerant substances
  • Money, coins in circulation, securities, obligations, precious metals and stones
  • Narcotics and psychotropic substances
  • Ammunition and weapons
  • Magnets
  • Sharp items that are not packed correctly
  • Living plants, animals, birds or fish
  • Vessels with liquids that are not sealed properly or packed to prevent spillage
  • Documents, including identity documents, travel documents, permits or documents granting special status

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