Holidaymakers heading to Europe for the Easter break have been left fuming after a sudden government warning. If you’re fortunate enough to be flying off to an EU destination this month, you might be thinking of bringing back some delicious souvenirs.
Brits in France will undoubtedly be lured by the array of fine cheese shops scattered across the country and be tempted to pack a Comté in their cabin bag, or stock up on their favourite Spanish cured meats with some chorizo in their hold luggage. However, doing so could now land you in serious trouble.
This comes as the official GOV.UK account posted on X to warn about significant changes that will immediately affect personal imports. “You can no longer bring meat or dairy products from EU or EEA countries into Great Britain for personal use,” it stated.
“If you’re travelling over Easter weekend, check what you can and can’t bring back before you go.” The government claims these new measures are to ‘protect farmers from the spread of foot and mouth disease’, despite there currently being no cases in the UK.
The list of prohibited foods includes:
- Beef
- Pork
- Lamb
- Mutton
- Venison
- Goat meat
- Cheese
- Butter
- Yoghurt
On its website, the government also mentions restrictions on bringing fruit, vegetables, nuts, and seeds into Great Britain from overseas. “If you’re bringing in any food or animal products protected by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), you may need to apply for a CITES permit,” it further explained.
Whether you’re soaking up the sun in Spain, exploring the historic streets of France or Italy, you can still return with some culinary souvenirs:
- Bread, but not sandwiches filled with meat or dairy products
- Cakes without fresh cream
- Biscuits
- Chocolate and confectionery, but not those made with a lot of unprocessed dairy ingredients
- Pasta and noodles, but not if mixed or filled with meat or meat products
- Packaged soup, stocks and flavourings
- Processed and packaged plant products, such as packaged salads and frozen plant material
- Food supplements containing small amounts of an animal product, such as fish oil capsules
However, the advisory was met with disdain on social media, as users slammed the restrictions as ‘ridiculous’. One user lamented, “Isn’t this quite massive? No more bringing back cheese from France?” Another shared their frustration, stating: “I don’t have any plans to travel to the EU currently – but this still upsets me.”
The sentiment was echoed by another who exclaimed: “WE CAN’T BRING CHEESE BACK FROM FRANCE?” while yet another bemoaned: “Taste (or rather don’t) all that freedom.”
Should you declare prohibited food items to Border Force officers at customs, they will confiscate and dispose of them. However, failure to declare could lead to prosecution.
GOV UK warns that Border Force has the authority to seize your goods if they suspect:
- You’ve brought something into the country illegally.
- You’ve brought in too much of a restricted product.
- It’s been cross-contaminated, for example with blood from meat – if any clothing or a bag the item’s in is contaminated, it’ll be destroyed.