Sending Food and Perishable Items in the Post

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Whether you’ve just started up your own cake-making business or you’re keen to send a batch of brownies to friends and family, you may want to send food items using Royal Mail. 

The key to your parcels arriving fresh is insulation, the right packaging, and refrigeration - keeping heat and moisture out and the temperature cool will increase food’s longevity and make sure it arrives looking fabulous. Follow our simple guidelines below to make sure you’re OK to send various foodstuffs - and how to make sending food in the post easy as, well, pie.

What’s a perishable food item?

Perishable foods are those likely to spoil, decay or become unsafe to consume if not kept refrigerated or frozen.

Fish, seafood, cheese and meat are all perishable items. Foods like biscuits, dried pasta, canned goods, bottled water, powdered milk and dried fruits are not.

Rainbow layer cake up close

Which foods can I send to a UK address using Royal Mail?

As long as you’re using adequate refrigeration methods, padding and packaging, you’re able to send a variety of foodstuffs around the UK. If you’re sending perishable food, you’ll need to follow our guidelines:

  • Use 1st Class Post as the minimum service - your food items should be able to withstand a journey of up to 48 hours
  • To ensure speedier delivery, use Royal Mail Tracked 24
  • Don’t use dry ice or frozen water as cooling methods - we don’t allow these in our parcels!
  • Your parcel must be suitably sealed to prevent leakage or tainting  other items
  • Your parcel must be packed in a strong corrugated cardboard box or purpose-designed polystyrene pack
  • Your name and return address must be clearly visible on the outer packaging
  • Your parcel must be clearly labelled ‘PERISHABLE’

 

Can I send food from the UK abroad using Royal Mail?

No - unfortunately, we don’t allow perishable items to be sent via Royal Mail, as we can’t guarantee the parcel’s transit will take less than 24 hours. However, Parcelforce’s globalpriority service offers delivery to European and major worldwide destinations. However, it’s worth checking their Prohibitions and Restrictions first.

If you’re thinking of sending food to the US, there are a number of beloved British non-perishable foods that are hard to find across the pond, and make great gifts. Think teabags, crisps and biscuits - and don’t forget one or two tins of baked beans to make their parcel quintessentially-British.

 

How to send baked goods using Royal Mail

Yes, your fondant icing may look dreamy at home - but if you want it to look perfect on arrival, you’ll have to make sure you’re using the right packaging to ensure your cakes, brownies and biscuits survive the trip.

  • Wait until your food’s completely cool before starting to wrap and package it
  • Use cling film for sturdy goodies like heavy cakes and pies. Don’t forget to add a solid cardboard base to protect the bottom of the item, and gently wrap to ensure an airtight seal
  • Wrap biscuits individually for professional-looking presentation
  • More delicate items like cupcakes will need to be placed inside the individual grids of a cupcake box - inserts are vital as it’ll help keep them separate, and can help  avoid crushing during transit
  • Freezing cakes can also help them to stay fresher when they’re travelling 
  • If you’re sending ultra-delicate items like macaroons or meringue, use pieces of bubble wrap in between items to add a protective cushioning later and prevent them banging into each other 

Don’t forget that buttercream and icing made with soft cheese, creme fraiche or sour cream will all make your items perishable, and you’ll have to make sure your products are correctly refrigerated before posting. 

One final step - make sure your parcel is clearly labelled ‘This way up’ and marked as fragile.

Cakes with no fresh icing, coffee cakes, Bundt cakes, and pound cakes are some of the best cakes for posting as they freeze and defrost well, so posting them frozen is a great way to preserve freshness.

 

How to send perishable food items using Royal Mail

By law, all food items sent by post must arrive safe, and fit to eat. 

If you’re sending food that needs to be kept cold, here’s how to package your items and the best ways to ensure your products arrive safe to eat, and on time.

  • We recommend packaging your items just before you head to post your parcels or before we collect them from you  - keep them in the fridge or freezer for as long as possible before packaging them
  • Properly wrap all of your items and make sure they’re in leak-proof packaging
  • The best way to keep food cold is to use frozen gel packs - we don’t allow frozen water or dry ice as cooling methods. Pack them around your items to maximise cooling 
  • Use padding such as packing/foam peanuts, bubblewrap or insulating wool liners to reduce your items being damaged and to keep in cool air
  • When sending, use Royal Mail Tracked 24 or Tracked 48 as the minimum service, as your food should be able to withstand a journey of up to 48 hours in the UK
  • Your parcels must be suitably sealed to prevent leakage or tainting of other items, and clearly be labelled ‘PERISHABLE’

 

Posting food which contains allergens

Any food that is bought online, over the phone, via an app, or via mail order must legally have any allergy information displayed a) before it’s sold - e.g. on a website and b) clearly displayed to the recipient when it’s delivered. 

For example, cakes made in a kitchen where nuts are used should have a label that says ‘Prepared on premises which use and handle nuts’.

 

Can Royal Mail guarantee my parcel will take less than 48 hours to deliver?

It depends which service you use.

  • Royal Mail 1st Class post: Same price for all UK addresses, includes £20 compensation cover and aims to deliver the next working day - including Saturdays
  • Royal Mail Tracked 24: Tracked to delivery point with delivery photo and compensation cover up to £150, and aims to deliver next working day, including Sundays 
  • Special Delivery Guaranteed by 1pm®: Full tracking with photo delivery, and a signed for, guaranteed next-day delivery service with compensation cover up to £750

If you use one of these three services, your parcel should arrive at its UK destination within 48 hours. Please remember that delivery times may vary depending on your parcel’s destination, the time of year, and any unforeseen circumstances like weather or operational issues which may be out of our control. 

If you’re unsure if you can post a food product, please check our list of prohibited and restricted items for more information.