Can I bring specialist varieties of flour from the UK to France?
We look at the rules for travelling with food products, which have become stricter since Brexit
We look at rules over travelling to France with flour
Joni Hanebutt / Shutterstock
Reader question: I find it hard to source specialist varieties of flour in France which are easily found in the UK. Can we bring packets into France from the UK and, if so, are there limits on the quantity?
There are stricter regulations on what products can be taken from the UK to France since Brexit.
The main reason for this relates to animal health and phytosanitary rules aimed at stopping animal or plant-related diseases and pests being brought into the country.
As a result, you cannot bring meat or meat products (the latter are products that do not 'look like' meat but are made from it) or milk and milk products (e.g. cheese, yoghurt) into the EU.
You also cannot bring in plants or fresh parts of plants, such as seeds, fruits and vegetables, with a few exceptions like coconut, banana, pineapple and dates, without a special certificate.
There is an exception, though, for products of plant origin that are processed, crushed, powdered, cooked etc.
Read more:Can I bring snacks or finger food on the ferry from the UK to France?
This means that you can bring flour over from the UK to France.
A spokesperson at the French Douanes Info Service confirmed this to The Connexion and said that he did not believe there would be any limits on the quantity as long as it was clearly for personal use.
Some animal-derived products, such as honey, can be taken into France within a 2kg-per-person limit. The spokesperson said he did not think flour was classed in the same way.
If in doubt about what you can carry over, the French Douanes Info Service can be a helpful port of call for questions and offers to take calls in English.
The telephone number for within France is 0800 94 40 40, and from abroad it is +33 1 72 40 78 50. The service is open 8:30 to 18:00 Monday to Friday.
Related articles
Brexit: What you can (and cannot) bring into France from UK
Horlicks, peanuts, salad cream… What can I bring to France from UK?
