I have used An Post many times to send and receive parcels in and out of Ireland, always following the rules. Yet after recent experiences, I can no longer recommend them.When I tried to return an item with lithium-ion batteries to the UK, the parcel was refused, despite proper labels and packaging.Later, I sent two separate parcels with the same type of batteries to the same EU country. Both were accepted, I paid the postage myself, and both were delivered without issue. Encouraged by this, I asked at the counter before sending a third parcel to the same EU country. I was told it was fine. I bought the label, lodged the parcel, and on 5 September 2025 it came straight back: shipment cancelled, €66 charged, and no refund. Customer service simply said: “we don’t ship lithium-ion batteries.”So which is it? Safe one day, unsafe the next? Manageable for commercial channels, “impossible” for private customers? The website references aviation rules, but it is not clear at the point of purchase of the label or at the counter that a device with a lithium-ion battery will be refused.From a customer’s perspective, An Post’s policies work intermittently (like many things in Ireland, frankly). Honestly, what’s the point of a courier if not to ship parcels? Until the gap is closed between what’s written, what’s promised, and what actually happens, using An Post for international shipping will feel more like a lottery than a modern postal service.
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An Post is the state-owned provider of postal services in the Republic of Ireland.
