My mom shipped food from the US to the UK...where is my package?

Pardon my ignorance on all US-UK shipping matters.  I've only been here (the UK) for a month!  I'm hoping someone, anyone can help me understand the innerworkings of HM Revenue and Customs.  On July 1st, my mother shipped a package of oh so yummy protein bars from Texas to Birmingham via USPS.  I have still not received the shipment or any notification of where it might be.  According to USPS, if the shipment contained any food that contains preservatives, it will be not be allowed through UK customs and will be shipped BACK to my mom, at her expense!  Does this sound right?  (If that is the case, I'm going to be super-furious with the USPS worker that accepted the ridiculous shipping fee when they should've rejected the shipment altogether).  Any advice?  So far, all I can think of is to talk to RoyalMail about the whereabouts of my package.  Crossing my fingers my precious package isn't floating in the Atlantic or banished to a customs' rejected packages holding cell.

Even worse...hope they haven't eaten them!

I wish I knew exactly what the law was. I have had packages take up to 10-12 days to get here from the east coast of US, but that is still a lot less than what you're saying. Did your mom pay for the fastest delivery service (that still takes 5-7 days...which like I said, can be several days more than that)

Good luck...I know how important care packages from home can be!

How did she send it?  Airmail or surface?  Because surface can take 6+ weeks.  Airmail should take less than a week.

My mother sends everything express mail through the USPS.  If she posts it on Monday, it's here by Thursday.  If it's not, I can track it by the number, and at least find out which country it's in.

It also depends on what your mother put on the customs form, whether or not it would draw the attention of Customs.

She sent the package by airmail, and she wrote 'protein bars' on the customs form (yeah, that might draw the attention of customs if they suspect it's 'food' or they have as much of an appetite for those delicious bars as I do).  What's funny is that she also sent me my diploma at the same time via the same shipping method and it arrived promptly.  On the customs form attached to the diploma, both the protein bars AND the diploma were listed.  I was a bit worried at first that the customs form attached to the diploma was the ONLY one attached to ANYTHING, which would mean the package of protein bars were customs-form-less, but my mom assures me a customs form was indeed attached to both items.  Based on this information, I assumed the package was being held up in customs while they determined how much VAT and import tax to charge me, but it's been quite a while.  I'm starting to worry.  Will RoyalMail have information for me?  Is it true that foods containing preservatives will not be allowed through customs? 

I am trying to get some protein bars shipped over from the US also... keep us posted on what happens!  I haven't placed the order yet, b/c I wanted to make sure they would get all the way over (and not held up in customs).  I thought I remember another thread which mentioned something about needing to register with FDA if you want to ship food items unless they were homemade.  Any remember the details?

btw - were they LAWL bars?  I only have 1 week of bars left - I have to figure something out!

Hope you get your package soon!

It's been almost a month since the bars were shipped (using airmail.. 4-10 days).  I'm beginning to lose hope, and I can't register a claim with royalmail until 25 business days after shipment (the middle of next week).  I have a feeling they are held up in customs.  They weren't LAWL bars, they were Powerbar CarbSelect Protein Bars.  How are we health conscious vegetarians expected to get our protein fix without them! 

I haven't heard of food with preservatives not being allowed in.  To the contrary, I've heard that food without preservatives won't be let in (i.e., homemade food).  Otherwise, everyone involved in the food swap would be out of luck -- and I'm pretty sure my parcel arrived yesterday...just have to go pick it up today! 

my mum sends food all the time (whether I'd like her to or not) she's not had any problems unless she's written the address incorrectly...if it was delivered through parcelforce and you know the USPS tracking number they might be able to help. The last package going AWOL was because parcel force dropped it off to the incorrect place.


my mum even sent me "pasteles" homemade in a tupperware box.. that was rank.


I didn't eat them if any was concerned

It may not even be because it has food in it. I've lost count of how many packages and letters I've had go missing or take forever going either way....UK to US or US to UK. grrrrrr. I just got a card a couple weeks ago that was postmarked in the UK on March 11th!!! Why would it take 4 months for a CARD to get to me? I've some packages sail right through and make it in 5 days. It's a mystery as to what the heck happens to the rest.

How are we health conscious vegetarians expected to get our protein fix without them! 

I'd recommend Quorn. Some of their products actually have more protein than meat.

I hope your package comes soon. I too have had a package gone AWOL for a few months. Still got to me, though, just a bit late.

When my mom sends anything from the USA it always takes about 6 weeks. And I can assure you everything she sends is loaded with preservatives! Give it some time. I'm sure it will arrive soon.

My parents sent 2 packages to me from the US for Christmas.  They were mailed from separate post offices in the same city, 2-3 days apart, about Dec.14 & 16th or something.  I finally recieved them both on the same day the next APRIL!!!  I have no clue what took them so long... my parents both filed forms at the USPS to try to track them, and I tried online, but we were never given any useful info on their whereabouts.   It was mostly snack foods (candy, grape Jelly & JIF, graham crackers, etc.) and stuff.  The chocolate Hershey Kisses had gone out of date by the time I got them, but the rest was fine, and the boxes were still intact, nothing broken or damaged.   

Oh yeah, and they delivered them to my next door neighbour as well, who luckily we are friends with, because we were both at work at the time they arrived.   They left us NO NOTE to say they had been here or where they had delivered them or anything.  The postal service is absolute shyte.  They are sooo unorganised and useless.   

But, if its any help, I haven't ever NOT  recieved a package sent yet, so have faith and patience.     It'll come someday.  In the meanwhile, we'll keep you entertained here...   *lol*  Hang in there and good luck! 

<<< Offers to share Granola & Reddenbacher Popcorn stash in the meanwhile... >>>   

Try a local healthfood shoppe for vegetarian goodies and meat-free protien alternatives.  Even my teenie little town has one! 

We bought a bassinett for a friend that was having a baby.....we paid the PREMIUM amount to have it shipped withing 2 weeks..this was posted at the same time went shipped boxes home of stuff we had bought in the US that wouldn't fit in our suitcases......shipped 6-8 weeks delivery........

They ALL arrived the same day! 7 weeks later.......

I was STEAMING we paid over $100.00 to ship that bassinett to get here quickly.....luckily she hadn't had the baby yet.....

I have family ship stuff here and never had anything held up by customs......including my diet pills......
But I was sweatin that one........

My mother sent out two packages last Tuesday and we received them on Friday.