Restricted food items travelling to Europe?

[EllF]

I Know and have read all the info. on what food products you can take on your travels from the U.K. to Europe.
We always try to eat the food of the countries we are visiting but being away for 90 days sometimes you yearn for a home made roast dinner.
We love our Bisto Gravy. Just noticed on the tin that is is produced in Dublin which is still part of the EU!
would we be allowed to take it with us.?

 

[Btg]

Fridge and freezer full up never been stopped never been asked if they want it they can have it pmsl

 

[Old Gibber]

You've got to wonder how effective our border is at stopping drugs given how cursory the searches are maybe drug smugglers are looking at using motorhomes.

Ever thought how long it would take to search every nook and cranny in every vehicle coming into the country. Its simply not possible. The only way would be a large number of sniffer dogs.

 

[Imala615]

With all the members on here going back and forth across the chanel I'd go more on their experience than on a TV programme created to show what might happen.

It's like the whole lorry drivers sandwich thing that was made a big deal out of , most of the port staff have more important things to be doing

And the program where Phil MYCAN was reporting on a petrol station near me that was out of fuel which sent every man and his dog to the garages to fill up and skyed the price of fuel up.

 

[Trevor Wbm]

Bisto is actually meat free, so not an issue.

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[BreweryDave]

They really don’t care!
I travelled by car last year on BF, boot was full of food ( bacon, sausages, sauces, tea bags etc) and the customs lady at Plymouth just laughed and said ‘ you obviously live abroad ‘

I have also travelled numerous times by aircraft, and always have bacon and sausages in my hand luggage, never a peep, except once last year I had a Christmas pudding in my bag, which threw up a strange result on the x Ray, causing a bag search. After unloading all my bacon and sausages the guy got to the Christmas pudding and said ‘ I thought that’s what it was, had to check as it’s the first one this year’
Bag repacked, and on I went.
( Ryanair, stansted to Faro, a regular route for us)

 

[Minxy]

We're just debating how many tins of puppy food to take with us for our 60 day trip next month ... along with all the other stuff for our dogs ... if the customs people try to confiscate it they can answer to the dogs ... they may be cute and cuddly and lick you to death normally but NOT if you mess with their food!

 

[Tonks]

With all the members on here going back and forth across the chanel I'd go more on their experience than on a TV programme created to show what might happen.

It's like the whole lorry drivers sandwich thing that was made a big deal out of , most of the port staff have more important things to be doing

I only pointed out that you CAN be fined, so if you DO get stopped (which has happened, even by some who've commented on this thread) and if your illegal food items were picked up on, it would probably be wise at that stage not to argue the toss. 99 people could cross knowingly carrying illegal food items, and 1 person be stopped. And if they're then stroppy with the person who has stopped them, they MAY be liable to harsher penalties than if they're polite.
I would quite possibly take some milk and a few bits for my first 24/48 hours abroad if I were travelling back to mainland Europe myself, and think it unlikely I'd be stopped, but you never know. I HAVE been stopped and had the van checked when I've been travelling on a ferry before, but the fridge wasn't opened during the inspection! Their main concern was whether I'd switched off the gas.

The TV item I saw was not 'engineered to show' anything. It was a documentary following customs officers in their day to day work. Yes, the programme makers chose to show the particular incident, but it was clearly not an 'acted' situation.

 

[Riverbankannie]

I think the gas check people aren't customs officers but Eurotunnel staff. Last time we came through it was in the customs shed rather than the little hut they usually use it could be nearer the kettle and looks!. I wonder if UK customs are fully staffed it seems very lax at the moment.

Ah, yes very likely.

 

[Minxy]

We've been stopped since B****t and have had customs people inside and looking in the garage where food etc was easily viewable, no issues whatsoever. They are interesting in people and drug smugglers and couldn't give a toss about a sausage roll, bit of cheese etc.

The ones who check for the gas being turned off are the ferry/tunnel staff and nothing to do with customs.

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[The Wino]

Ever thought how long it would take to search every nook and cranny in every vehicle coming into the country. Its simply not possible. The only way would be a large number of sniffer dogs.

It doesn't need to be every one just enough to make it risky smuggling stuff in but they don't seem to be doing it with any of them

 

[chaser]

I think it mostly comes down to your attitude, these blokes, and blokess are just doing a job of mostly keeping the ferry's and tunnel safe, and the country's free of drugs and stuff, they aren't interested in what you are carrying, food and booze wise, and are welcome in our van anytime if it's keeping everyone safe, but they might have had a long shift and can't do with someone shouting the odds and think right this will make my day and do you over, be pleasant with them and just do what they say , even maybe have a bit of a laugh and you will be fine.
After all on there they are the king's, no use arguing with them as they have always got the upper hand and makeing their life hard is not going to help you one little bit.

 

[The Wino]

Strange isn't it that people view reducing the public finances differently. Generally they see benefit fraud as really bad tax evasion as not so bad smuggling and avoiding duty as a bit of fun. Yet they all affect the public purse in the same way. I'm no angel on that and have avoided duty on things but when you sit back and look at it they're all having the same effect and all illegal.

 

[Northernraider]

Strange isn't it that people view reducing the public finances differently. Generally they see benefit fraud as really bad tax evasion as not so bad smuggling and avoiding duty as a bit of fun. Yet they all affect the public purse in the same way. I'm no angel on that and have avoided duty on things but when you sit back and look at it they're all having the same effect and all illegal.

I think when you see the corruption at the top of the tree you stop being a mug.

 

[The Wino]

I think when you see the corruption at the top of the tree you stop being a mug.

I sort of agree I used not to try and reduce my tax as much as possible or claim things that felt I was pushing it but came to the conclusion everyone else did so I might as well ( within whats allowed). I still think there are huge tax loopholes left on purpose by all parties.

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[nicholsong]

Strange isn't it that people view reducing the public finances differently. Generally they see benefit fraud as really bad tax evasion as not so bad smuggling and avoiding duty as a bit of fun. Yet they all affect the public purse in the same way. I'm no angel on that and have avoided duty on things but when you sit back and look at it they're all having the same effect and all illegal.

I suggest not the same effect, because of difference in quantum: 'smuggler' like you might over-egg the wine and beer once or twice a year so maybe avoid in ten(s) of pounds of duty, but benefit fraudsters are collecting every week for months if not years and amounting to '000s in loss to the government.

 

[Northernraider]

I suggest not the same effect, because of difference in quantum: 'smuggler' like you might over-egg the wine and beer once or twice a year so maybe avoid in ten(s) of pounds of duty, but benefit fraudsters are collecting every week for months if not years and amounting to '000s in loss to the government.

And the folk working for the government are taking even more in expenses etc .

 

[The Wino]

I suggest not the same effect, because of difference in quantum: 'smuggler' like you might over-egg the wine and beer once or twice a year so maybe avoid in ten(s) of pounds of duty, but benefit fraudsters are collecting every week for months if not years and amounting to '000s in loss to the government.

So how about tax fiddler using dodgy plans found to be evasion rather than avoidance losing even more than the benefit fraudster and yet I suspect seen by many as not as evil?

 

[Rogerwyn]

We were stopped on entering Spain at Santander on September 1st this year, we had a dog and they checked her documents then checked the van, we had butter and bacon in the fridge, he told us it was illegal to bring it into the EU but he did not fine us or remove any thing just gave us warning and let us go, all the Motorhomes and caravans with animals were checked for food.

 

[chaser]

Strange isn't it that people view reducing the public finances differently. Generally they see benefit fraud as really bad tax evasion as not so bad smuggling and avoiding duty as a bit of fun. Yet they all affect the public purse in the same way. I'm no angel on that and have avoided duty on things but when you sit back and look at it they're all having the same effect and all illegal.

I thought this thread was about taking a bit of food , on which you have already paid any tax, across to France don't really see how it is smuggling.

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[Minxy]

One reason they may NOT be bothering that much is that if they confiscate foodstuffs they then have to do paperwork, store then dispose of the 'contraband', this takes time and costs money, something that they won't want to do if they can help it and especially since the UK left the EU as it would now add a lot more work. Unless you are very unlucky (or a prat!) I doubt you'd have any issues.

 

[chaser]

One reason they may NOT be bothering that much is that if they confiscate foodstuffs they then have to do paperwork, store then dispose of the 'contraband', this takes time and costs money, something that they won't want to do if they can help it and especially since the UK left the EU as it would now add a lot more work. Unless you are very unlucky (or a prat!) I doubt you'd have any issues.

Almost the same as I posted in 41

 

[Minxy]

Almost the same as I posted in 41

Did someone speak?

 

[nicholsong]

So how about tax fiddler using dodgy plans found to be evasion rather than avoidance losing even more than the benefit fraudster and yet I suspect seen by many as not as evil?

I was only pointing out that 'smuggling' was a minor loss in revenue, not getting into anything else.

 

[chaser]

Did someone speak?

You are not ignoring me are you?

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[Minxy]

You are not ignoring me are you?

Who said that ... again???

 

[s20hymer]

We're just debating how many tins of puppy food to take with us for our 60 day trip next month ... along with all the other stuff for our dogs ... if the customs people try to confiscate it they can answer to the dogs ... they may be cute and cuddly and lick you to death normally but NOT if you mess with their food!

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We travelled with a load of frozen dog food ( she has raw ) last year, no problem, this year our Westie has gone over to pouches and dry food, so will hope they get through ok.

 

[bigwood]

Going through Harwich in September we were pulled over for a cupboard check. I intended to shop in Germany so didn’t bring anything I thought.
On opening one of the cupboards the guy found some tins of beans and told all his mates in a loud voice “I have found Beans”. After a they composed them selfs they walked off.

 

[Minxy]

We travelled with a load of frozen dog food ( she has raw ) last year, no problem, this year our Westie has gone over to pouches and dry food, so will hope they get through ok.

We had no issues whatsoever in March this year when we went abroad and they check the garage and inside too, there was loads of dog food and they didn't mention it at all.

 

[nicholsong]

Going through Harwich in September we were pulled over for a cupboard check. I intended to shop in Germany so didn’t bring anything I thought.
On opening one of the cupboards the guy found some tins of beans and told all his mates in a loud voice “I have found Beans”. After a they composed them selfs they walked off.

Why would British Customs be interested in food leaving from Harwich? Or was it a security employee?

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[Spriddler]

....... be pleasant with them and just do what they say , even maybe have a bit of a laugh and you will be fine.

and learn the French for: "O.K. guv, it's a fair cop".