Banned & restricted goods

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There are certain goods that are prohibited or restricted in the UK to protect citizens’ safety, health and the environment. These rules apply to ALL travellers, whether you are travelling within the EU or from outside the EU.

prohibited goods are goods that are banned completely in the UK
restricted goods are goods that cannot be imported into the UK without the appropriate legal documentation, such as a licence.

See Notice 1 A Customs guide for travellers entering the UK for details of prohibited and restricted goods.

If you are thinking of bringing meat or food into the UK and need more details, please see our guide ‘Bringing food products into the UK’.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) have created a dedicated website on illegal imports of food and plant products, aiming to reduce the risk of exotic animal disease and plant pests and diseases from entering the country. This threatens our public health, livestock, agriculture and horticultural industries and the environment.

The Food Standards Agency also have a section on food import controls on its website (www.food.gov.uk/imports ). It provides information and advice; to the public wishing to bring back food from another country for personal use and to businesses wishing to import food.

Just because something is on sale in another country does not mean it can be freely brought back to the UK. Whatever you have bought - a video, weapon, plant or something else - be aware: not all souvenirs are just mementoes of your trip abroad. Some goods are restricted or banned in the UK.

Some goods, such as certain animal skins, shells and ivory products are also protected by a strict international agreement - the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

These examples are only a small selection of the goods prohibited and restricted in the UK. It is YOUR responsibility to ensure you are not breaking the law.

If in doubt about the goods you intend to bring back to the UK, you are always advised to speak to staff at our National Advice Service for more advice.