Advice on International sales/shipping

[wats6831]

So I'm getting pretty frustrated. I've ordered 2 different types and cases of foreign rations from the UK and both were rejected at UK customs. Why is this? How can it be prevented? How do you guys get these rations if they aren't able to be shipped internationally?

I really want to get into this more and get some different foreign MREs but after having Canadian vendors refuse to ship to the US and now these two UK vendors both shipments got rejected by customs....I don't know what to do next. Bummed out.


Are they any things we can do to help the vendors out? Like maybe tell them to put the rations inside another box (that doesn't say MILITARY RATION on it).

Maybe, on the customs form put military memorabilia (not for consumption) instead of food? Maybe that something sold as memorabilia is NOT subject to the same restrictions as food imports/exports?

I'd like to focus on ways to help make international shipping of MRE's easier for all of us.

[housil]

So UK customs denied to let them out of the UK?!

[kman]

Sadly, it's a crap shoot...some packages sail through and others get held up/rejected/"lost". That's part of what makes these so hard to get hold of...not just "find" but actually get in your hands.

And keep in mind at the end of the day, there are restrictions in place on importing many food types (meat, cheese, etc.) so if the system worked perfectly, pretty much *none* of your foreign rations would get here. It's only when the system misses you that you can actually get something.

The only sure-fire way of getting a foreign ration in your country is to buy it from someone else in your country so it doesn't hit any import/export restrictions.

[wats6831]

So UK customs denied to let them out of the UK?!

That is correct. I know in the EU sometimes they have a restriction on meat products due to the whole mad cow disease etc from years ago .

So, rations themselves aren't necessarily PROHIBITED. But if they suspect they contain meat or a RESTRICTED item of some kind, they will reject it, or possibly open them all and remove the entrees for instance.

I believe in most countries the rations are legal for export themselves, it's their contents that could be potentially restricted import/export...

I can go to the store and buy lamb from the EU, and obviously Canadian beef is everywhere so I'm a little bit confused and frustrated that a Canada vendor won't ship rations to the USA.

The problem is I can't really buy rations from someone in my own country, if the rations can't get to my own country, how would my in-country vendor get them? Lol Crazy.......


I know these rations are rare but I'm going to figure out a way.........I don't give up.

[housil]

So UK customs denied to let them out of the UK?!

That is correct. I know in the EU sometimes they have a restriction on meat products due to the whole mad cow disease etc from years ago .

Yes, for "importing" them but I never heard any EU country rejected a parcel from to be send out of the country!

[[ex-Member1]]

Yes, for "importing" them but I never heard any EU country rejected a parcel from to be send out of the country!

Sometimes they reject and return the parcel even when you send it to another EU country... it's stupid but that's how it is.

Example alcohol from Poland came to Croatia. Sending little bottle to Poland - stopped by the Croatian customs and returned to the PO

[Drew78]

Are you buying many cases at once? That may not help your cause if so..smaller is always better....did you buy liken cases or something?

[Cdevaney]

A pretty easy way to prevent it is just wrap it in birthday paper.

[Garron]

This is a list of prohibited items not allowed to be posted internationally on the Royal mail website, sadly two items mentioned are quite common in ration packs so it might be them that caused the issue.

This is from
https://personal.help.royalmail.com/app ... -customers

Matches - Of any kind, including safety and windproof matches.

If they are French, Spanish or a nation that has hexi stoves in their packs it could be that too as fire lighters are mentioned and they are the same type of thing.

Flammable solids- Solid materials which are liable to cause fire by friction, absorption of water, spontaneous chemical changes or retained heat from manufacturing or processing, or which can be readily ignited and burn vigorously e.g. adhesives, calcium carbide, cellulose nitrate products, fire lighters, matches, metallic magnesium, nitro-cellulose based film, phosphorous, potassium, sodium, sodium hydride, zinc powder, zirconium hydride.

[Westview]

This is a list of prohibited items not allowed to be posted internationally on the Royal mail website, sadly two items mentioned are quite common in ration packs so it might be them that caused the issue.

This is from
https://personal.help.royalmail.com/app ... -customers

Interesting that lottery tickets are on the prohibited goods list, i wonder if any other countries have the same policy.