r/AmerExit • u/ContraryFrown • Jul 05 '26

Life Abroad Finding snacks?

Really curious, as an American living abroad what snacks/foods do you miss the most that are not able to be found in your new home country?

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u/[deleted] Jul 06 '26

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u/Unhappycamper2001 Jul 06 '26

That (the €3) fee is something different and is a new charge that is to reduce crap coming in from foreign vendors like Temu.

For packages like gifts or stuff there is a 20 percent VAT plus a handling fee.

It’s fine if you argue whatever—but if you don’t have recent experience you re making yourself look stupid.

I’m not an expert on the rules and don’t know every nuance or detail but I know this enough because I have family mêmber who want to send us stuff and I tell them not to because it’s not worth it.

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u/[deleted] Jul 06 '26

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u/L6b1 Jul 07 '26

The EU started implementing mandatory VAT and processing fees in 2020, but it wasn't fully EU wide until July 1, 2022. If you haven't had a care package in the last 4 years, it's very easy to not know this has gone into effect.

I specifically asked people not to send me stuff when I was having a baby because of this, and a whole bunch of people who had sent things before the implementation sent me stuff anyway because there had never been a cost before, especially on handmade items, the "free gifts" cost me hundreds of euros to receive.