French Londoners returning from their Easter holidays were facing difficult choices after the UK government banned personal imports of meat and dairy products.
The capital’s French community traditionally makes the most of travel to their homeland by returning with luggage packed with a life-support cargo of cheese, saucisson, wine, face cream, savon de Marseille laundry powder or Ardèche chestnut spread.
However, these plans were thwarted by a temporary UK governmental ban on personal imports of meat and dairy products from EU countries in order to stop the spread of foot and mouth disease.
Laurence*, from south west London, said: “I looked at the kids wondering what would we do with 1.5kg of cheese.”
The 50-year-old banker bought Comté, Beaufort and Abondance while on holidays in the French Alps.
She was set to fly back to London when she read the news shared on a WhatsApp group.
Reluctant to waste her money, she packed the precious goods and checked in her luggage at Lyon airport.
She said: “I had already forgotten two little goat cheeses in our rented holiday home.
“I did not want to waste these ones.”
When she landed at Gatwick airport, she claims couldn’t see any signs of the ban and her luggage was not checked.
The ban, which came into force on 12 April, applies to cattle, sheep, goat, and pig meat as well as dairy products imported by travellers from EU countries.
It also includes packed or packaged sandwiches, even if they have been bought at duty free.
Sam, a 49-year-old curtain maker, drove back to London from the Paris area.
She expected to have to ditch her saucisson and Morbier cheese at the Eurotunnel customs, but she claimed there were no controls at the border.
She said: “Travelling with five kids, I would have fought to keep our ham sandwiches.”
On some French community social media, the ban was deemed absurd.
One member jokingly suggested that camembert from UK supermarkets should be banned from entering France in retaliation.
This is already the case for personal imports of meat and dairy products from the UK to the EU, as such products are considered to be a threat to animal health throughout the union.
Some travellers chose the safe option, fearing the up to £5,000 fine and destruction of merchandise.
Dorothée*, another Londoner originally from south west of France, a region well-known for its love of food, chose to bring back duck products only.
The 53-year-old said: “I am bringing back duck confit, duck foie gras, duck sausages confit, goose neck confit and the like.”
She excluded veal axoa, a typical Basque country dish, because of the ban.
Dorothée added: “This ban means more space for chocolate.”
Claire was in Paris, on her way to London for the Easter weekend, when she found about the government announcement.
The agricultural science university professor said the measures were no surprise to her.
The 46-year-old from south of France went through all the presents she brought to her London friends, and was relieved to find out foie gras and onion confit had the green light to cross the border.
Although the ban is temporary, no end date has been communicated so far.
Travellers can still bring infant milk, medical foods and some composite products such as chocolate, confectionery, bread, cakes, biscuits and pasta.
A spokesperson for DEFRA said: “This government will do whatever it takes to protect British farmers from foot and mouth disease.
“That’s why we immediately brought in restrictions on animal products from Germany, Hungary and Slovakia and are further strengthening protections by introducing restrictions on personal meat and dairy imports.
“It’s vital that people returning from the EU adhere to this to reduce the risk of foot and mouth reaching the UK.
“We are working closely with ports, airports and travel operators, ensuring that awareness of the new restrictions is raised including via prominent signage.”
*Some names have been changed.
Picture credit : John Tuesday
Join the discussion