Frequently asked questions about importing food for personal use
Wednesday 19 October 2005
Some frequently asked questions about importing food for personal use.
I'm getting married in the Caribbean. Can I bring my wedding cake back to the UK?
You shouldn't have any problems bringing your wedding cake back to the UK from the Caribbean, as long as it doesn't contain fresh cream. Although a cake can contain ingredients of animal origin, such as eggs, butter, milk and suet (which are usually restricted from countries outside the European Union), generally you would be allowed to bring your cake into the country.
I'm going fishing in Canada. Can I bring all the fish I catch back to the UK?
If you are on a fishing trip in Canada or any other non-EU country, you may want to bring your catches back to the UK, but these will often exceed the legal limit. The rules for personal imports of fishery products are that you are allowed to bring back up to 1kg each from certain approved countries and for many people this 1kg limit will be sufficient. If anglers want to bring back more than this 1 kg allowance, they will only be allowed to do so if the catch is brought back as a commercial consignment. Some fishing trip organisers or agents may be able to make arrangements for fish caught on fishing trips to be treated as commercial consignments. However, if these arrangements are not in place it will be your responsibility to ensure your catch is handled and prepared by an approved establishment for export to the UK. See further details on importing fishery products and bivalve molluscs and lists of approved establishments for authorised non-EU countries.
Can I bring smoked or dried meats, such as biltong, into the UK from South Africa?
You aren't allowed to bring any meat or meat products from South Africa into the UK for your personal use. This includes fresh, smoked and dried meats. The same rules apply to most non-EU countries.
When I go on holiday abroad can I bring back for my personal use 1 kilogram of fresh lobster, 1 kilogram of fresh salmon and 1 kilogram of tinned tuna?
You can only do this if you are travelling from another EU Member State or from Iceland and Norway. If you are travelling from any other country you may only bring back a combined total of 1 kilogram of these products.
Are children entitled to an allowance for imported food for personal use?
Yes. Unlike the allowances for alcoholic drinks brought back to the UK, children are entitled to the same allowances as adults for food brought back for personal use.
I would like to bring back a whole fish from Africa for my own use but they nearly always weigh just over 1 kilogram? Will it be allowed?
No. Personal allowances of fish, shellfish, honey, eggs and egg products are only allowed up to 1 kilogram of each type of product from non-EU countries. Any of these foods brought back that weigh over 1 kilogram are illegal and all of that product (not just the part in excess of 1 kilogram) must be surrendered to port officials.
I want to send a food parcel from Australia to my son in the UK. The parcel would include snack foods such as Vegemite. Will this be allowed?
Provided the food you want to send to your son contains no meat, meat products, fish over 1kg or dairy products, a gift of a food parcel containing a few packets of snack foods should be allowed as a personal import.
How much alcohol can I bring back to the UK from outside the European Union for my personal use?
There are strict allowances for the amount of alcohol people can bring with them for their own personal use from non-European Union countries. Check these allowances on Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs website.