Case Study - Wakefield to Austria

Quick Summary

A Wakefield-based exporter booked three pallets of food supplements to Vienna using a standard groupage road freight service.

In the booking form, the shipper declared the goods simply as “food supplements” and confirmed that no additional checks or documents were required.

During the outbound compliance review, the carrier asked for clarification about the product type. Only then did the shipper disclose that the items were actually organic food supplements, which fall under EU food safety and organic certification controls.

Because organic goods may require customs office inspection, health-related documents, and special routing, the shipment could not travel via groupage and was stopped. The carrier advised two options:

Return the goods to sender, or

Continue transport via dedicated vehicle, with the customer covering the additional cost.

The customer approved the dedicated vehicle.

What Was Being Shipped

The consignment consisted of regulated organic food supplement products, including:

• 30 cartons of organic botanical extract capsules


• 18 cartons of plant-based powdered supplements


• 12 boxes of organic probiotic blends


• Total: 3 pallets, approx. 420 kg

Because these products are organic and intended for human consumption, they fall under enhanced EU sanitary and documentary controls, regardless of packaging.

What They Did Right — Booking & Documentation

The shipper prepared the standard documentation correctly:

• Commercial invoice


• HS codes for food supplement goods


• Accurate weights and dimensions


• Batch numbers and expiry dates


• Retail-ready packaging

The paperwork was compliant for general cargo, but not for items requiring sanitary inspection.

What They Did Right — Physical Preparation

The export preparation was suitable:

• Secure, stable pallets


• Moisture-protected cartons


• Visible labelling and traceability


• Proper wrapping and strapping


• Compliant pallet height and footprint

Nothing on the physical preparation contributed to the delay.

What Went Wrong — Regulatory Misclassification & Inspection Requirement

1. Goods Declared Incorrectly at Booking Stage

The shipper declared the goods as general supplements, marking “no additional checks required.”

Only after the carrier investigated further did the shipper confirm the supplements were organic, which automatically changes the regulatory requirements.

Organic products may require:

• customs office inspection


• review of organic certificates


• health-related documents


• controlled routing

For this reason, they are not suitable for groupage transport.

If unsure about customs requirements for your commodity, always check with HMRC or your competent authority before booking.

2. Carrier Identified the Goods as Requiring Special Handling

Once the correct classification was provided, the carrier informed Pallet2Ship that the shipment:

• cannot transit through multiple hubs


• must be taken directly to the designated customs office in Austria


• requires routing that a groupage service cannot provide

Groupage transport does not allow the mandatory stops needed for document and sanitary checks.

3. Shipment Held at the UK Outbound Hub

The freight was held before leaving the UK because:

• The service booked was incompatible with the commodity


• The goods could not move forward without compliance confirmation


• Required documentation was incomplete for organic goods

4. Shipper Approved Dedicated Vehicle Transport

To avoid returning the goods to Wakefield, the customer approved a dedicated vehicle, accepting the additional cost so the shipment could be taken directly to inspection.

What to Do vs What Not to Do

DO THIS

• Declare supplements accurately (organic vs non-organic)


• Confirm whether sanitary, organic, or health inspections apply


• Provide all organic certification details up front


• Check with HMRC if you are unsure about customs or regulatory requirements


• Use dedicated transport when inspections are mandatory


• Respond quickly to compliance queries from the carrier or authorities

AVOID THIS

• Do not under-declare goods to fit a cheaper service


• Do not use groupage for commodities requiring customs office inspections


• Do not delay supplying additional documents


• Do not ignore clarification questions from the carrier


• Do not assume organic goods follow the same rules as standard supplements

Why It Matters

Organic and regulated food supplements fall under stricter EU import rules, even when non-perishable.

Incorrect declarations at booking can result in:

• shipment holds


• re-routing


• inspection-induced delays


• increased transport costs


• customer complaints


• commercial disruption

This case demonstrates the importance of accurate commodity classification and verifying requirements with HMRC or relevant authorities before dispatch.

Using the correct service from the start prevents costly interruptions and ensures compliant delivery into the EU.