Travel advice: Bringing meat and dairy products home from your holiday
04/06/2026
Are you aware of what you can bring back into the Britain from your holiday?
Last year, the government announced a ban on personal imports of meat and dairy products from all countries in the European Union.
This includes bringing items like sandwiches, cheese, cured meats, raw meats or milk into Great Britain – regardless of whether it is packed or whether it has been bought at duty free.
Why is the ban in place?
The government’s Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) has imposed the ban to safeguard the UK food system and farmers against animal disease.
How do personal imports pose a risk?
Some animal disease viruses can persist in meat, dairy and other animal products for weeks, and even months. While they do not infect humans or pose a food safety risk, they can remain infectious in animal products or contaminated materials. Susceptible livestock and other animals (e.g. wild boar) may be exposed to infection via illegal feeding, inadvertent disposal of waste food and wild animals raiding bins.
What products does the measure cover?
All meat, meat products and dairy products of ruminants – such as cows, sheep, goats, deer, camelids – and pigs are prohibited.
Why not poultry products?
Poultry meat does not present a risk of spread of foot and mouth disease, African swine fever, sheep pox and goat pox, peste des petits ruminants and lumpy skin disease.
Are there any exemptions?
Travellers are allowed to bring up to 2kg of powdered infant milk, infant food and special food (including pet food) required for medical reasons, provided they are commercially produced and packaged, shelf-stable and unopened, unless in current use. There are also no restrictions on certain low-risk composite products (including chocolate, confectionery, bread, cakes, biscuits, pasta and food supplements containing less than 20 per cent animal products).
How will this measure be enforced?
Border Force will check for prohibited goods as part of customs checks. It has powers to seize goods and destroy them. If prohibited items are found, offenders could potentially face unlimited fines on successful prosecution in Great Britain or penalties of up to £5,000 in England.
What happens if I buy an animal product from a foreign airport’s duty free?
The ban applies to eligible products purchased in a foreign airport’s duty free.
Does the ban apply to personal imports from Northern Ireland?
No, there are no restrictions on personal imports from Northern Ireland (or from Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man) to Great Britain.
Do these restrictions apply from the Republic of Ireland to Great Britain?
Yes, the restrictions do apply from Republic of Ireland to Great Britain.
If a passenger was to buy a meat sandwich on the plane and then take it home with them, would they be breaching the ban?
Yes, they would. If a passenger brings a meat sandwich through customs, they are breaching the ban.
For more information about the UK Government’s rules around importing food and drink, visit: Bringing food into Great Britain: Overview - GOV.UK