We know how important it is that your parcel arrives safely and undamaged. Packing
items carefully gets them off to a good start.
Please check that we can accept your parcel Prohibitions or restrictions may apply
to your goods.
These are detailed under General prohibitions and restrictions page.
These reminders may help you:
- . Ignoring them may lead to delays, accidents or damage to other parcels. For International
parcels you will be required to sign a declaration of contents on your despatch pack.
These are available from UK Parcel Post and its associated carriers.
- Use a strong outer container
A corrugated fibreboard box with a good quality kraft
outer wrapping is best. Sub-standard and damaged cartons can cause problems. - Wrap each item in the parcel individually
This takes a little longer, but offers better
protection when there’s no movement of contents. - Protect fragile items on their journey
Expanded polystyrene chips; polythene foam;
bubble wrap air cushions or crumpled paper around all items is a good cushion against
knocks and vibration. - Seal the parcel well
Make a ‘H’ seal with 48mm/50mm-wide plastic or reinforced carton
tape on both the top and bottom of your package. Ordinary household adhesive tape
isn’t usually strong enough. - Strap and tape for extra protection
For heavier items you will need a strong outer
carton, closed with tape. String around boxes isn’t really suitable, but can be used
around other wrappings. - Transporting electrical items
When transporting electrical items - e.g. laptops, DVD
players etc - please make sure that they have the original manufacturer's transport
screws properly secured to ensure that elements/components do not move.
Is the carton strong enough?
The table below may help you choose the most suitable
carton material. The letters ‘gsm’ are the standard measurement for paper/card thickness.
We also recommend an inner cushioning lining of at least 50mm as further protection
against damage. A compensation claim for damage of contents will be deemed invalid
if the parcel is inadequately packed or if the packaging is not retained for verification.
Weight of contents Grade of carton
Up to 5kg 200gsm
5kg-10kg 300gsm
10kg-15kg 150gsm double wall
15kg-25kg 200gsm double wall
25kg-30kg 300gsm double wall
Addressing and documentation
- Clear, accurate addressing
Using the full address and postcode/zip code is essential
to ensure correct delivery. The phone number of the recipient also helps to avoid
any delay. Include your own address and phone number on the outside and inside of
your parcel too. - Correctly completed documentation
It is important to make sure that all necessary
documentation is fully and accurately completed for all parcels, to avoid any delay
in transit.
Your Parcel must not exceed a maximum girth of 300cm (3m)
To Calculate the girth use the following calculation.
Depth x 2 + Width x 2 + Length = Girth of parcel
E.g. 25cm x 2 + 30cm x 2 + 100cm = 210cm (2.1m)