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| Boilerpipe Text | Duty-free allowances
for bringing gifts of alcohol, cigarettes, and perfumes are widely publicized. But what about food products, agricultural produce, and plant materials? The UK government has quite a lot of information and clarification online.
The government site
Bringing food into Great Britain
is a way to quickly check products you are thinking about bringing into the UK. For a more detailed look, use the
Personal Import Rules Database
, which provides detailed information, by country, on what food items are prohibited to bring into the UK (among other information.)
You can, for example, bring a 20 kilos (that's about 40 lbs) combination of fish and fishery products (from most places) that can include live lobsters. How you are supposed to keep 40lbs of live Maine lobster alive on a transatlantic flight is a good question - but I'm sure someone has the answer.
Definite No-Nos
Don't even think about bringing potatoes, meats or cheeses from outside the EU.
Getty Images
Don't even think about bringing meat, potatoes, or cheeses to the UK from outside the EU.
Although the UK is no longer part of the EU, most products from the EU are generally allowed.
Milk products from outside the EU are banned - so no powdered milk drinks from Australia or that nice hunk of Wisconsin cheddar you were planning to bring Great Aunt Felicity. And potatoes or potato products from anywhere (including the EU), even canned, bottled, or otherwise packaged, are strictly forbidden. If you are served a bag of potato chips on the plane,
eat them before you land or leave them on the plane.
Those restrictions apply to canned and packaged products as well. So no canned corned beef hash or devilled ham from outside the EU, no potato chips or tins of matchstick potatoes.
There are some surprising restrictions. While you can bring in allowed quantities of most fruits and vegetables from the USA, you cannot bring chestnuts. Only chestnuts from the EU and European Mediterranean countries are allowed. So if granny makes delicious chestnut spread for the holidays, leave it home. On the other hand, if she bakes a mean batch of chocolate chip cookies with chopped pecans baked into them, by all means, bring them along.
Remember, the
Personal Import Rules Database
covers items for personal use only. Some food products that are allowed but not weight restricted - bagels from New York, chocolates from Paris - are limited by what customs officials think are reasonable quantities. They can use their discretion about that but if you are bringing in very large amounts - that could be for resale - your products could be subject to health checks and other commercial regulations.
What About Spices
Condiments, herbs and spices in Sao Paolo, Brazil.
Aziz Ary Neto/Getty Images
Only one herb commonly available in some countries is
specifically banned by UK authorities and that is Kava Kava
. The ban is because the herbal remedy, sometimes used to combat stress, has the potential to cause liver damage.
The picture is less clear for other herbs and spices. In fact, it is something of a minefield and probably best left to the professionals who can seek advice from the
Seasoning and Spice Association
. There are no specific laws or standards that apply and, if they are dried and packaged, there is usually no objection. But, individual ingredients, additives, or packaging methods may involve health restrictions or food restrictions. You can find some trade rules about herbs and spices at the Food Standards Agency. |
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# UK Customs - What Foods Can You Bring Into the UK?
By
[Ferne Arfin](https://www.tripsavvy.com/ferne-arfin-1660891)
![Ferne Arfin]()
:max_bytes\(150000\):strip_icc\(\)/FerneArfin-5b6f00c446e0fb0050324e74.jpg)
[Ferne Arfin](https://www.tripsavvy.com/ferne-arfin-1660891)
Ferne Arfin is a travel writer who covers the U.K. and Greece for TripSavvy. She currently lives in London.
[Travel's editorial guidelines](https://www.tripsavvy.com/about-us-4777100#toc-editorial-guidelines)
Updated on September 17, 2024
:max_bytes\(150000\):strip_icc\(\)/bringing-foods-into-the-uk-1662390-v3-HL-FINAL-5bf5d189c9e77c00517ce918.png)
:max_bytes\(150000\):strip_icc\(\)/bringing-foods-into-the-uk-1662390-v3-HL-FINAL-5bf5d189c9e77c00517ce918.png)
Photo:
TripSavvy
[Duty-free allowances](https://www.tripsavvy.com/uk-customs-regulations-1662389) for bringing gifts of alcohol, cigarettes, and perfumes are widely publicized. But what about food products, agricultural produce, and plant materials? The UK government has quite a lot of information and clarification online.
The government site [Bringing food into Great Britain](https://www.gov.uk/bringing-food-into-great-britain) is a way to quickly check products you are thinking about bringing into the UK. For a more detailed look, use the [Personal Import Rules Database](https://www.daera-ni.gov.uk/articles/summary-personal-food-import-restrictions), which provides detailed information, by country, on what food items are prohibited to bring into the UK (among other information.)
You can, for example, bring a 20 kilos (that's about 40 lbs) combination of fish and fishery products (from most places) that can include live lobsters. How you are supposed to keep 40lbs of live Maine lobster alive on a transatlantic flight is a good question - but I'm sure someone has the answer.
## Definite No-Nos
![potatoes, meats and cheeses]()
:max_bytes\(150000\):strip_icc\(\)/meat-potatoes-cheese-57f23d2c5f9b586c350bfb53.jpg)
Don't even think about bringing potatoes, meats or cheeses from outside the EU. Getty Images
***Don't even think about bringing meat, potatoes, or cheeses to the UK from outside the EU.***
Although the UK is no longer part of the EU, most products from the EU are generally allowed.
Milk products from outside the EU are banned - so no powdered milk drinks from Australia or that nice hunk of Wisconsin cheddar you were planning to bring Great Aunt Felicity. And potatoes or potato products from anywhere (including the EU), even canned, bottled, or otherwise packaged, are strictly forbidden. If you are served a bag of potato chips on the plane, *eat them before you land or leave them on the plane.*
Those restrictions apply to canned and packaged products as well. So no canned corned beef hash or devilled ham from outside the EU, no potato chips or tins of matchstick potatoes.
There are some surprising restrictions. While you can bring in allowed quantities of most fruits and vegetables from the USA, you cannot bring chestnuts. Only chestnuts from the EU and European Mediterranean countries are allowed. So if granny makes delicious chestnut spread for the holidays, leave it home. On the other hand, if she bakes a mean batch of chocolate chip cookies with chopped pecans baked into them, by all means, bring them along.
Remember, the [Personal Import Rules Database](https://www.daera-ni.gov.uk/articles/summary-personal-food-import-restrictions) covers items for personal use only. Some food products that are allowed but not weight restricted - bagels from New York, chocolates from Paris - are limited by what customs officials think are reasonable quantities. They can use their discretion about that but if you are bringing in very large amounts - that could be for resale - your products could be subject to health checks and other commercial regulations.
## What About Spices
![herbs and spices in Brazil]()
:max_bytes\(150000\):strip_icc\(\)/GettyImages-571981351-57f2437d3df78c690faf5930.jpg)
Condiments, herbs and spices in Sao Paolo, Brazil. Aziz Ary Neto/Getty Images
Only one herb commonly available in some countries is [specifically banned by UK authorities and that is Kava Kava](https://www.food.gov.uk/business-guidance/importing-herbs-and-spices#:~:text=Since%209%20January%202003%20the,toxic%20effect%20on%20the%20liver.). The ban is because the herbal remedy, sometimes used to combat stress, has the potential to cause liver damage.
The picture is less clear for other herbs and spices. In fact, it is something of a minefield and probably best left to the professionals who can seek advice from the [Seasoning and Spice Association](https://seasoningandspice.org.uk/guidance). There are no specific laws or standards that apply and, if they are dried and packaged, there is usually no objection. But, individual ingredients, additives, or packaging methods may involve health restrictions or food restrictions. You can find some trade rules about herbs and spices at the Food Standards Agency.
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| Readable Markdown | [Duty-free allowances](https://www.tripsavvy.com/uk-customs-regulations-1662389) for bringing gifts of alcohol, cigarettes, and perfumes are widely publicized. But what about food products, agricultural produce, and plant materials? The UK government has quite a lot of information and clarification online.
The government site [Bringing food into Great Britain](https://www.gov.uk/bringing-food-into-great-britain) is a way to quickly check products you are thinking about bringing into the UK. For a more detailed look, use the [Personal Import Rules Database](https://www.daera-ni.gov.uk/articles/summary-personal-food-import-restrictions), which provides detailed information, by country, on what food items are prohibited to bring into the UK (among other information.)
You can, for example, bring a 20 kilos (that's about 40 lbs) combination of fish and fishery products (from most places) that can include live lobsters. How you are supposed to keep 40lbs of live Maine lobster alive on a transatlantic flight is a good question - but I'm sure someone has the answer.
## Definite No-Nos
Don't even think about bringing potatoes, meats or cheeses from outside the EU. Getty Images
***Don't even think about bringing meat, potatoes, or cheeses to the UK from outside the EU.***
Although the UK is no longer part of the EU, most products from the EU are generally allowed.
Milk products from outside the EU are banned - so no powdered milk drinks from Australia or that nice hunk of Wisconsin cheddar you were planning to bring Great Aunt Felicity. And potatoes or potato products from anywhere (including the EU), even canned, bottled, or otherwise packaged, are strictly forbidden. If you are served a bag of potato chips on the plane, *eat them before you land or leave them on the plane.*
Those restrictions apply to canned and packaged products as well. So no canned corned beef hash or devilled ham from outside the EU, no potato chips or tins of matchstick potatoes.
There are some surprising restrictions. While you can bring in allowed quantities of most fruits and vegetables from the USA, you cannot bring chestnuts. Only chestnuts from the EU and European Mediterranean countries are allowed. So if granny makes delicious chestnut spread for the holidays, leave it home. On the other hand, if she bakes a mean batch of chocolate chip cookies with chopped pecans baked into them, by all means, bring them along.
Remember, the [Personal Import Rules Database](https://www.daera-ni.gov.uk/articles/summary-personal-food-import-restrictions) covers items for personal use only. Some food products that are allowed but not weight restricted - bagels from New York, chocolates from Paris - are limited by what customs officials think are reasonable quantities. They can use their discretion about that but if you are bringing in very large amounts - that could be for resale - your products could be subject to health checks and other commercial regulations.
## What About Spices
Condiments, herbs and spices in Sao Paolo, Brazil. Aziz Ary Neto/Getty Images
Only one herb commonly available in some countries is [specifically banned by UK authorities and that is Kava Kava](https://www.food.gov.uk/business-guidance/importing-herbs-and-spices#:~:text=Since%209%20January%202003%20the,toxic%20effect%20on%20the%20liver.). The ban is because the herbal remedy, sometimes used to combat stress, has the potential to cause liver damage.
The picture is less clear for other herbs and spices. In fact, it is something of a minefield and probably best left to the professionals who can seek advice from the [Seasoning and Spice Association](https://seasoningandspice.org.uk/guidance). There are no specific laws or standards that apply and, if they are dried and packaged, there is usually no objection. But, individual ingredients, additives, or packaging methods may involve health restrictions or food restrictions. You can find some trade rules about herbs and spices at the Food Standards Agency. |
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