[tigerlily]

I can't seem to find a definitive answer on this one-
is it ok to bring food items with you, I'm sure you have to declare them, but can you bring items like
tea
spices like chili pepper?
other comfort foods?


Also can you bring a Costco (warehouse) size package of toilet paper/deodorant/shampoo? Its so much cheaper here in the US, and I have the space. But I don't want to get stuck with some kind of import duty because it looks like more than "personal use".

[Avalon]

Absolutely YES YOU CAN!

What you must do is declare it for MAF (they may ignore it - but honestly - declare it anyway and be prepared to pay the MAF fee on it)

We didnt do this - because we thought everything was going to be sooooo cheap here (Pah! Biggest con there is - NZ Cheap?????)

When my parents shipped thier stuff, they filled a big plastic crate with: 10 jars of Hellmans mayo (cheaper than Best - the NZ version), 6 LARGE jars of (disgusting) marmite, 6 LARGE tins of yorkshire Tea, loads of special Low Carb foods not available here, 5 Simple deodorants, 12 bars each of wrights Coal Tar soap and simple soap and 6 jars of Colemans Garden Mint.

On top of that - they have been posting me food parcels (and also medicine parcels as I REFUSE to pay for Nurofen (Apparently the Guild of Pharmacists wants us to belive it "better" than the cheap stuff). They are currently sending me load of Thorntons Diabetic Chocolate (Wow, my parents are the best!)

So far Everything has got through. What comes through the post isnt even being opened and checked.

Dont send Honey. That would get stopped. But so far - everything seems fine. Just declare it - and bear in mind - if you bring Alcohol in the container - you would get a hefty customs charge on it (assuming you declare it - or you dont declare it and they find it!)

We didnt bring toilet paper - but everything else we brought in as quantites of 6-10. At that rate - they really arent going to see it as a buisness opportunity anyway, so you should be fine. We also threw out all our spices - and I really wish we hadnt. I did read somewhere taht if you want to bring them - bring UNOPENED spices - which seems to be the best option for any foodstuffs.

HTH

[katandbob]

OK now I am getting a bit worried, can you actually buy reasonable priced stuff as I am getting the impression that you should bring over the local NETTO store! (any one know heard of NETTO?)

[Avalon]

Kat and bob,

Im not sure theres an easy answer to that - at least from my POV.

Many of the items we shipped are very expensive here beacuse they are imported - not made here. For example, a small jat of UK Marmite (125g) will cost at least $7.50 nad ive seen it as high as $10.50. Same with colemans - I can get a jar of Colemans Tartare Sauce for $8.65 but often its well over $10. And these things are not always easy to get hold of. Ive never seen UK marmite in sizes bigger than 125G, the soaps Ive shipped are only available in singles and you can pay over $2.50 a bar.

Also some odd things. I eat Sugar Free Jelly - the onlt available here is Weightwatchers - which is truly nauseatingly bad. So mum posts me Rowntrees jelly!

I find I spend a lot on food - but then I did in the UK too. I eat a lot of meat, and I dont buy cheap cuts so that adds up, but really its not that much. It just looks a lot because you get really big numbers! I always have a mini heart attack when they say the bill is nearly $200! My mind just reads it as £ adn it takes a while to filter that that is £80 which Is what i would have spent in Waitrose without blinking!

It really is getting things that you want from the UK which will be expensive - but they make nice treats. People go mad for Walnut Whips - but they cost about $3.50 EACH!

If you buy NZ food, especally veg in season, then you should be alright.

I would recommend looking at teh wooolworths website and doing a "weekly shop". Literally "buy" what you normally woul and check what it will cost you. You will also get a fair idea of what is generally available in teh supermarkets.

[veronica]

with the food as long as its processed it seems to be ok. If anything contains raw seeds (chillis!!) or is unprocessed organic then it might be an issue. Thats our understanding anyway.

Regards the theoretical Woolworths shop I would keep in mind that Woolworths seems to be the most expensive of the supermarkets.

[Moorf]

If you are in any doubt about what can be bought in, then check out this website: http://www.maf.govt.nz/quarantine/index.htm

I would agree with Veronica - whole seeds are a real no no. Can't see why other ground spices can't be bought in. To be honest, there are soooo many Asian supermarkets that you can get just about every spice you can think of, and a few you probably don't want to think of.....

Yep, Woolworths is more expensive - I did my usual shop at PaknSave recently to do a comparison - I saved a few dollars but not enough to get me trogging across town to the nearest (Northlands). According to the website there are only 4 PaknSave locations in Chch (Moorhouse, Hornby, Northlands and Riccarton)

I have to say that Countdown have gone up in my estimations recently as I've been in a few of their newer stores (and they're open 24hrs).

But I find Woolworths' ranges better (for our tastes). Plus I just received a $30 voucher in the post from them (from using the One Card) and we get $$ off each time we shop using the One Card. The "with card" in store offers are also generous. (bit like Tesco's).

Having said all that - the Woolworths stores vary dramatically in their presentation, layout and content - so your local might not be a particularly good one - depends on the local demands by the looks of it as the Ferrymead Woolworths has lots more quality stuff than the New Brighton one (which is a bit dreary and not that great really, but local!!).

Each to their own - I never liked Safeway in the UK yet others would swear by them - I was a Sainsburys / M&S gal :laugh We've always spent loads on food, and here in NZ I spend, on average, $200 - 250 per week for the two of us (no, that doesn't include pet food!).

Prices vary wildly from season to season (see Joanne's great thread on buying food) - just yesterday in Woolworths the capsicums (that's red peppers to you and me!) were $3.50 EACH!!!!!!!!!!! :roll Mind you, the website has had them at about $2.50 each for a while now....

... and whilst scanning through the fruit and veg section on the Woolworths site I notice that Pumpkin is being sold for... errrm... $27,599 per half crown.. I really really hope that's a typo.. :laugh

[tigerlily]

Thanks Moorf! You certainly came through on this one! I'm just trying to figure out how to fill up my container. We have a small 2 bedroom house and I keep hearing about people with large, 4 bedroom houses filling up their 20 foot container. Toilet paper sounded like a good idea (just kidding). Perhaps books...

[jan]

I have repeated this a few times. Bring as much as you can with you, becuse when you start to earn NZ $, things change.

I brought a very large tub of washing powder with me, softner, cans of beans, soup, custard powder ( its horrid here), sauces, deodorant, shampoo, shaving gel, blades and loads of other stuff that I had taken adavantage of buying BOGOF in the UK. We have been here for 5 months now and some of this stuff is gone, I am now having to incorporate it in my weekly shop, and I can tell. It deffo helped us as in our first few months here, you are paying out for school fees, rental bonds and heaps of other dead end payments.

If I had the chance again, I would bring heaps and heaps of stuff. In my case the MAF were only interested in any outdoor stuff.

I also brought a first aid box that resembled a pharmacy in its self. Lots of plasters, savlon, anti-hystamin, cough medicine, beechams, sun cream, verrucha gel and lots of other bits. All items that can be bought here. But when I added up the cost ,if I would have had to buy it here it was $$$$. My friend bought some tablets for a rather nasty cold she had got, somewhat similar to say Sudafed, they cost her $19. I priced verrucah gel up, $28 , now this was something my hubby laughed at me for bringing, but was quite pleased when I produced and let him use the one I had brought. When he said `please` :laugh

Bring it I would say , as you can see :laugh

[tigerlily]

Thanks for that list Jan! I will make sure to fill up the personal pharmacy before I come! I have no idea what custard powder is but perhaps you could learn to make wonderful pavlova as a compensation! I'm looking forward to trying my hand at it when I arrive (in early 2007!)

[kiwidebs]

custard powder ( its horrid here)

:laugh Funnily enough, that was one of the things I found when I moved to the UK - the custard here is awful!! (nothing much else has bothered me - oh, the Heinz Tomato soup isn't the same either :no ). It's obviously just what you are used to. It will be interesting to see how my taste buds adapt back to NZ food.
Must go see what BOGOF offers are going at Sainsburys and Boots this week.

Debs

[Debbie]

Just declare it - and bear in mind - if you bring Alcohol in the container - you would get a hefty customs charge on it (assuming you declare it - or you dont declare it and they find it!)


HTH
Please can someone clarify the situation with alcohol. Im already rejoicing the fact that we will have to have one hell of a party to get rid of our wine as it won't make it over in a drinkable state in a container. Can I have a valid reason for finishing off all those bottles of spirts we collected from around the world??
Can you bring in 'personnal use' alcohol?
Debbie

[tigerlily]

This link:
http://www.customs.govt.nz/travellers/Arriving+in+New+Zealand/Allowances/Alcohol+and+Tobacco.htm#paraTitle02

was the only information I could find on the customs page. It's confusing because this is referring to alcohol you bring with you on the plane, not what is in the container.

From the above page:
Travellers must be 17 years or older to be eligible for alcohol and tobacco allowances.

A traveller can import the following quantities of tobacco products and alcoholic beverages free of Customs charges, providing the goods accompany them:


Cigarettes, Cigars, Tobacco

Alcoholic Beverages


Cigarettes, Cigars, Tobacco

200 cigarettes, or
250 grams of tobacco, or
50 cigars, or
a mixture of all three weighing not more than 250 grams.

Alcoholic Beverages

4.5 litres of wine or 4.5 litres of beer
one bottle containing not more than 1125ml of spirits, liqueur, or other spirituous beverages.
Quantities imported in excess of the allowances, or that are housed in containers greater than the maximum stipulated bottle size, are liable for Customs charges.
__________________________________________________

Am I missing something on bringing alcohol in your container shipment?

[Avalon]

The way I was told to look at is this:

IF you bring alcohol in the conatiner - customs will assume that you have ALREADY brought in your maximum allowance on the plane. Therefore any Alcohol in the container is fair game for tax!

Bear in mind that you would have a hard job proving that you DIDNT bring any on the plane, and that Customs are not known for being lenient about tax collection.

You would get away with it if they do not check the container - but it IS a risk.

I wanted to bring in a case of Moniack Mead, but decided not to in the end. Im not the sort of person who can bung it in the caontainer and hope they dont find it - I'd not sleep for weeks - and then Id feel guilty!

However - trip back in April - im buying as much of teh stuff as i can and bringing it back on the plane!

[Debbie]

Avalon, That makes sence thanks. Thats one hell of a party to plan befor we go then. Shame realy,(not).
Debbie

[Avalon]

Thats what we did. Only had room in the case for 2 bottles of mead - so just HAD to drink the rest. It was a good night!

I found it helped the Goodbyes to be flat out drunk too - not for everyone I guess - but made it a bit easier for me!

[veronica]

bringing this to th fron as it has some requested info here