Omniva warns: eggs, mushrooms, bees and fish fry sent by post in summer

Omniva, Estonia's postal service provider, regularly encounters shipments in summer that should not be sent by post or are improperly packaged-including broken eggs, leaking jars of jam, spoiled mushrooms, and even bees and fish fry. Eduard Rešetov, head of Omniva's sorting facility, reminds customers that all shipments first arrive at the sorting centre, where they move alongside thousands of other packages, making proper packaging essential.

Omniva employees notice more and more shipments each summer that come straight from the garden, forest, or smokehouse, often improperly packaged or indeed prohibited goods. Estonia's international technology and logistics company Omniva has decided to warn the public about these mistakes.

Broken eggs and leaks on the sorting line

Recently, Omniva employees discovered a leaking package containing eggs. Some of the eggs had broken during transport. The intact eggs were repackaged with additional cushioning material and the shipment was still delivered to the addressee. This incident clearly illustrates how important proper packaging is before sending a shipment.

"In summer we see more shipments that come straight from the garden, forest, or smokehouse. If some goods, such as eggs, mushrooms, tomatoes or baked goods, should not be sent at all, then for others it is simply a matter of meeting packaging requirements. One broken juice glass is enough to damage other packages moving on the sorting line at the same time," said Eduard Rešetov, head of Omniva's sorting facility.

Rešetov explained that many people mistakenly believe that a courier will take a package directly from one parcel locker to another. In reality, all shipments are sent to the sorting centre, where they pass through an automated sorting line alongside thousands of other packages.

Bees, fish fry and fruit flies

The biggest problems are caused by shipments containing liquids-juices, jams, honey, oil and sauces. Beekeepers periodically send bees by post, fishermen send fish fry, and hunters send game meat. Omniva employees are familiar with both the smell of spoiled mushrooms and fruit flies that gather around leaking or damaged shipments.

"Grandmother can still send a jar of jam to her grandchild, but it all starts with proper packaging. If a shipment contains fragile or breakable items, we recommend using the 'Handle with Care' service, in which the package is sorted manually," added Rešetov.

What must not be sent by post?

Omniva's website lists goods that must not be sent by parcel service: flammable and fire-hazardous materials, compressed gases, oxidising, poisonous, corrosive or infectious substances, radioactive materials, magnetised goods, lithium batteries, weapons or parts thereof, live or dead animals, narcotic and psychotropic substances, tobacco products, cash and securities, easily perishable or refrigerated products, and counterfeit goods.

The packaging must be durable and take into account the mode of transport and duration. The package must not be too small or too large-in the first case it will not withstand pressure, in the second case items inside may shift and break. The package must be rectangular, without protruding edges, string or other additions. For fragile items, the space between the contents and outer packaging must be filled with cushioning material.