What the ban on bringing home meat and cheese from Europe means for you

Many of us have stashed a wedge of Parmesan in our suitcase after an Italian break or filled our car boot with fromage after a trip to France. But that tradition has been brought to a halt - temporarily.

In April 2025 The UK government announced a ban on bringing meat and dairy into the UK from Europe on 11th April.

If you are travelling over the next months this will affect you and if you get caught bringing back any of the banned items you could face a fine of up to £5,000.

We explain why the restriction has been brought in, what's on the banned list and how long it may last.

Why is there a ban on bringing meat and dairy into the UK?

The government says the meat and dairy prohibition isn’t due to Brexit regulations, but is to help “prevent the spread of foot and mouth disease”. It affects all countries within the UK (England, Scotland and Wales), Northern Ireland has it's own measures in place.

The rising number of cases on the continent is to blame and the new restrictions follow a previous ban on meat and dairy from Germany, Hungary, Slovakia and Austria following recent FMD outbreaks there.

Lauren Kennedy from DEFRA, the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs, told Saga, "The government is working closely with partners including Border Force, PHA and airlines to make passengers aware of new rules. 

"Border Force will check for prohibited goods as part of customs checks."

What are the banned products?

The new rules state that from April 12th 2025 travellers into the UK will no longer be able to carry:

• Soft and hard cheeses – including manchego and pecorino
• Sausages
• Beef, pork, lamb, mutton, goat meat
• Charcuterie
• Dairy, including milk, butter, cheese and yogurt
• Prepared food with meat or dairy filling
• *Vacuum packed does not make them exempt.

What about eating in transit?  

The guidelines say it is now illegal to even bring in sandwiches filled with cured, cooked or raw meat or dairy, “regardless of whether it is packed or packaged or whether it has been bought at duty free”.

Kennedy at DEFRA adds, "Any sandwich purchased prior to entering UK customs that contains meat, meat products and dairy products of ruminant animals (such as cows and sheep) and pigs is prohibited.

"This includes products purchased at an EU airport or onboard an aircraft.

"Airlines can still serve meat and dairy for consumption on board. These are not personal imports of meat or dairy," says Kennedy.

Protecting British farms from foot and mouth

This ban is about protecting Britain’s food producers from devastating threats.

Most of us remember the 2001 outbreak of foot and mouth disease, when millions of cattle and sheep were slaughtered after 2,000 cases were identified. 

Farming minister Daniel Zeichner said: “This government will do whatever it takes to protect British farmers from foot and mouth".

Exemptions to the rules

There are certain exemptions.

The new rules do not apply to arriving into Northern Ireland, which has its own F&MD measures in place. Also, any personal imports from Northern Ireland, Jersey, Guernsey or the Isle of Man are also exempt. 

Poultry products are not affected so you can bring back chicken, duck, goose and any other products made from these.

Powdered baby milk, baby food, or special foods for humans or animals where there is a medical need are also exempt. 

Commercial imports are not affected.

When will the ban end? 

The government does not currently have an end date for the restrictions.

"The measures will stay in place until personal imports of affected products no longer pose a significant biosecurity risk to Great Britain," said Kennedy from DEFRA.