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What foodstuffs CAN we take to the EU post Brexit?

17K views 245 replies 22 participants last post by  bilbaoman 
#1 ·
I know we're not allowed to travel to the continent yet but have others thought about what we CAN take with us when we do. All the documents I've come across when googling are very generalised and are based on the assumption that you're travelling by plane, or perhaps in a car with a suitcase. Normally we go to France via the tunnel and of course head off in whatever direction we're going, without the immediate need to stop and shop. Post Brexit we can't take milk and other dairy products, meat, fish etc, (including the canned variety I suppose) and I've only just realised we can't take fruit and vegetables either, because they're plants.

All this is infuriating of course because we might take several days to get ourselves to a crossing, so we'll want to leave home with the ability to feed ourselves, make a cup of tea, etc. and then I suppose we just have to dump anything left over by the time we reach Eurotunnel or a ferry port. Then we'll have to prioritise a stop off for shopping on the other side. I haven't even begun to get my head around the coming home part. No more stocking up at the fromagerie in Montreuil for us, I suppose.

So, what adjustments are others planning to make, and who has any ideas what we could carry with us that might make a meal or two? Lastly if anyone can point me to any websites that give all the information we need, in a motorhome relevant way, I'd be grateful, if not exactly happy. Grrr!


Chris
 
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#2 ·
Just to add another grrr....

We have now found that we cannot have tea in any form sent from the UK. Not normal bog standard PG Tips or Yorkshire orloose leaf tea that I love from Kenya.

So add tea to the list..... it is a plant product so cannot imported due to the risk of transferring diseases to EU plants..... really..... yet another example of the stupidity of leaving.

I have not found any definitive list, probably because it is still as flexible and depends on which way the wind is blowing, or the day of the week, or the price of eggs (can you take those ???????) or what the Officers think....
 
#3 ·
Having the luxury of nearly a ton and half of payload its the alcohol limit on the way back that will hit us most. Going out 6 months worth of tea bags (plant material?). Oops now 90 days worth:frown2:
 
#4 ·
Having the luxury of nearly a ton and half of payload its the alcohol limit on the way back that will hit us most. Going out 6 months worth of tea bags (plant material?). Oops now 90 days worth:frown2:
More space, not allowed tea as it is plant material. (See above)
 
#6 ·
Gotta have my Tea Bags. Have to find some unsuspecting leave voter and ask them to bring a suitcase of Ty-Phoo over.

Ray.
 
#8 ·
Only an observation but unless you are stopped at customs and they specifically look for tea, meat, fruit etc I reckon you will be fine.

When we were boarded last year looking for clandestines they only looked under one bench seat, the wardrobe and the shower room. Did not bother with the other bench seat, under the bed or the overhead locker.

I for one will be taking, bacon, cheese, tea etc You would need to fill in a customs card on the Chunnel or ferry before you landed where it would ask you to declare any of the items, and I doubt they will be bothered.
 
#9 ·
Only an observation but unless you are stopped at customs and they specifically look for tea, meat, fruit etc I reckon you will be fine.

When we were boarded last year looking for clandestines they only looked under one bench seat, the wardrobe and the shower room. Did not bother with the other bench seat, under the bed or the overhead locker.

I for one will be taking, bacon, cheese, tea etc You would need to fill in a customs card on the Chunnel or ferry before you landed where it would ask you to declare any of the items, and I doubt they will be bothered.
What will you say if they specifically ask you "do you have any foodstuffs? And what are they sir?
 
#10 ·
I will declare them but the chances of that are pretty slim I would imagine.

Quick story and I know this is 28 years ago but even so. I took my 2 children and a step daughter over to France for work, delivering some electronics. These were the days when your children appeared on your passport.

As I approached passport control I realised my step daughter was not on my passport as she was not my natural child, but we were not stopped. Then I realised if we were stopped coming back she would not be allowed back in the country !!
Needless to say she was not stopped on the return leg either.

I realise things are quite a lot tighter now but that experience dented my confidence in customs checks.
 
#12 ·
Hopefully we will learn more once people CAN AND DO travel, at present we can only go on what we find out - the tea ban came after we tried buying loose Kenyanbtea from a variety of UK based suppliers, only to be told by each and every one that it is not permitted as it is a plant product.

If this had been made clear before June 2016 it would have been treated as an asinine joke and those saying it would have been ridiculed by those idiots determined to force the thing through. I wonder if Peter would like to try and defend this position or is it yet another "thing that hasn't happened" , only it has and IS a consequence of leaving.
 
#13 ·
You can't 'defend' being deprived of Tea Dave. Sadly we are now down to our last 2,600 bags. Must find new stocks.

Ray.
 
#21 ·
Thought for today.............a brand new toilet cassette could hold quite a number of tea bags, if the exterior was disguised as 'well used' I doubt many customs folk would delve too deep. A spare cassette can be handy too.

All you need now Ray is a tea mule, perhaps Jean or I could fill that roll when we're allowed to travel then you'd be literally flushed with tea bags ??

No thanks required.

Terry
 
#14 ·
Tea ban here too. Amazon won't supply at all, we used to but large quantities at a time.

The local supermarket still has tea bags but I wonder if that will continue. We will always get Lipton I should think, but I'm not overly keen on it.
 
#15 ·
I thought you could take whatever you want as you are not importing but consuming.
 
#16 ·
Yes Kev, it used to be up to ÂŁ137 personal goods. But might not relate to certain items.

Ray.
 
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#20 ·
You could cut that in half by saying you drink it too :D :D :D
 
#24 · (Edited)
So if we travel from the Continent to UK for the MOT with stuff bought here and then want to bring it back to the Continent will it be confiscated - if we have the receipts?

And if something is bought in UK but is clearly marked as 'Product of Spain'?


What about wine - grapes are products of plants?


Can we put it all into 'bond' at Dunkirk to be collected when we arrive back there?



Just asking.


Geoff
 
#26 ·
So if we travel from the Continent to UK for the MOT with stuff bought here and then want to bring it back to the Continent will it be confiscated - if we have the receipts?

And if something is bought in UK but is clearly marked as 'Product of Spain'?
What about wine - grapes are products of plants? Just asking. Geoff
No Geoff, not if you do have receipts or get it all itemised on entry.

Ray.
 
#25 ·
I'm sure we could economise on bags lots of ways Jean. Especially as I like very strong tasting tea and wring my bag out and Prue likes here like a cup of warm milk. It would be great if we could use my first bag in her cup as it still has enough flavour to work. But no for some inexplicable reason she has to have a new bag and whip it out as soon as it has water on it.

Actually we do get through six bags a day without visitors. So yes about 2 and a half years worth. But I like spares as you know.

Ray.
 
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#30 ·
I know we are having a bit of a joke about this, but can someone please give links to



A The rules of products that are prohibited to be imported to UK.


B Likewise into EU


Actualy there are similar, but not identical, regulation across borders within EU, but no controls.


Geoff
 
#31 ·
I know we are having a bit of a joke about this, but can someone please give links to

A The rules of products that are prohibited to be imported to UK.

B Likewise into EU

Actualy there are similar, but not identical, regulation across borders within EU, but no controls.

Geoff
And no controls into the UK until 2022 Geoff so HMG now says.
 
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#32 ·
Geoff

I started this thread because I couldn't find any sort of comprehensive information that would be useful for motorhomers and caravanners, who would normally expect to be carrying around the means to make meals and drinks. Official information appears to be geared to food importers/exporters or those who might have a sandwich or a lump of cheese in their pocket. I think it's time to investigate what the CMC & CCC can do to interpret the rules the rules for us.

I also hoped that others might suggest what foodstuffs they had considered taking to the EU from the UK for their next trip - but maybe that's still too far ahead. Most respondents on this thread don't even live in the UK, and much as I can understand the concern about tea bags (which I share), I'll need a bit more sustenance than that.


Chris
 
#38 ·
Geoff

I started this thread because I couldn't find any sort of comprehensive information that would be useful for motorhomers and caravanners, who would normally expect to be carrying around the means to make meals and drinks. Official information appears to be geared to food importers/exporters or those who might have a sandwich or a lump of cheese in their pocket. I think it's time to investigate what the CMC & CCC can do to interpret the rules the rules for us.

I also hoped that others might suggest what foodstuffs they had considered taking to the EU from the UK for their next trip - but maybe that's still too far ahead. Most respondents on this thread don't even live in the UK, and much as I can understand the concern about tea bags (which I share), I'll need a bit more sustenance than that.

Chris
Perhaps people who don't even live in the UK are those who have most recent experience of what can be exported from the UK to the EU because they normally used to have favourites and staples exported to them and therefore know more about what gets through?
 
#34 ·
I reckon if a thread gets to 4 pages with no real answer for you it's because the answer isn't out there yet, at least not in any understandable way
 
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#35 · (Edited)
#36 ·
I don't think I'm alone in feeling that we are circling the drain with the government we are stuck with.
 
#39 ·
Neither of those links really gives much guidance as to what will be accepted if one arrives at the French border (as most likely landing point) and then gets stopped and searched.

We currently have no idea whether the border authorities will be boosted in numbers, or whether long delays for inspection will develop.

I have not heard that the French intend to boost staff in order to check vehicles - we have all heard that ONE lorry driver hit the headlines when he arrived at a border and was not permitted to take his ham sandwich across the border, but I have not heard of any repetition of similar searches or actions.

Until travel really gets underway again after CoVid, it is impossible to tell what WILL happen. People living in Europe and trying to import from the Zuk are becoming aware of the difficulties of buying virtually anything from the UK - that cannot be to the benefit of the UK economy or businesses.

Many UK companies have linked up with EU based ones, or have formed an EU based company to reduce such hassles, but it does not look that likely things will improve greatly.

Probably, any traveller over the next few weeks and months, once it is permitted, would be well advised to only take what is needed for the first 24 hours and aim to stock up in the EU, although it looks like some products will simply not be available for the foreseeable future.
 
#41 ·
I reckon if the French do what they like to do with authority then it'll be fine coz they can't be arsed with laws which make them work harder, and will just give you a cursory look at the most unless you act suspicious.

As a non traveler overseas, I don't understand the customs thing, it seems if you do not declare something which is on some list, and they search you and you have some they can take it off you and fine you or worse, but what happens if you have declared said gubbins?
 
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#42 ·
Declare it and they'll take it, saying it's for destruction.

My advice is destroy it yourself to prevent the buggers nicking it. Many years ago I jumped up and down on 400 cigarettes in an airport. I'd misunderstood the limits and brought too many in error. I declared them and they said they'd take them. I said OK and trampled them thoroughly before putting them in the box they'd indicated. You should have seen the look on the faces of the two customs men. I reckon they'd been thinking it was going to be a carton each.
 
#44 ·
So we have to buy French milk, not cuppa until you hit the shops, memsahib will not be happy at that, and where do you dispose of the nasty unhealthy disease-ridden good old British milk?
 
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#106 ·
Kev: Make up a flask and stow it with your bottles. I doubt it would be noticed. We always take a flask of coffee so we can have it when in the tunnel.

Penguin/Ray/Others who live in France: Have you come across decaffeinated teabags in France? I don't drink tea but Mrs GMJ can only use decaff.

In terms of the wider discussion regarding taking stuff, we will take what we normally take and accept that if stopped we will lose it. Plan B would then be stopping at a supermarket first stop which will add an hour to our day. Is there a food supermarket at the City of Europe?

My understanding is that it affects 'raw' foods and not processed or cooked foods...but am happy to be corrected on this if wrong. We always take 6-7 pre cooked meals in our freezer - stuff that I have made prior to leaving home (bolognaise, chilli, lasagne, curry etc) so I hope they will be OK. We also carry 7-8 dough balls for our pizza maker plus some sausages and black pudding for a fry up one day...but I'm guessing they would be under threat if caught.
 
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