Postage Restrictions You May Have Violated

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I've spend a lot more time in post offices and Royal Mail depos than the average person. The walls in those places are littered with notices that most ignore, but I've been forced to take in because I'm exposed to them so often. One sign in particular that stands out is the one that details what is and isn't allowed to be sent via their services.

If you're the sort that sells pretty much anything on eBay, you've probably violated one of these restrictions before:

Aerosols
Batteries not connected to a device
Electricals with lithium batteries
Perfume
Liquids
Medicines
Perishables
Sharp objects

Not that you have, but did you know you also can't send these things by Royal Mail either:

Christmas crackers
Nail varnish remover
Goods made in foreign prisons
Lottery tickets
XXX publications
Magnets

Obvious things you can't post via Royal Mail:

Alcohol
Ammunition
Asbestos
Ashes
Gas-filled balloons
Biological substances
Corrosives
Drugs
Medical waste
Explosives
Flammable materials
Ice
Guns
Hoverboards
Matches
Paint
Pesticides
Radioactive matter

While you can probably make sense of a few of them, others just seem like madness. To be fair, the only time you'll get caught out for minor ones like liquid, perfume and perishable cargo is if you don't protect the goods when you send them. Otherwise you're good to go. By the way, if you're sending at the Post Office, make sure you've got a good back up of what's in the box. Also, are the rules different if that lottery ticket you’re sending across the country isn’t actually a winner.

Stay safe with your post, guys. Please let me know if you’ve ever been caught out sending something you’re not meant to. I’ve yet to meet anyone that’s got into trouble sending anything legal before, but it must have happened to someone.