Can I take Norwegian cheese or brown cheese home to the UK?
The UK dairy ban, the exceptions and the penalties.
Short answer
You cannot bring Norwegian cheese, including brown cheese, into Great Britain for personal use, because the UK bans dairy products from Norway and the EU. The ban covers cheese, milk, butter and yoghurt and is linked to animal disease outbreaks in the EU. Undeclared banned food can lead to a fine of up to £5,000 in England.
Why
- GOV.UK applies the same rules to Norway as to the EU, Switzerland, Iceland, Liechtenstein, the Faroe Islands and Greenland.
- If you declare banned food to Border Force at customs, the officers take it away and destroy it.
- The only dairy exception is powdered infant milk, infant food or special food needed for medical reasons, up to 2 kg per person in branded, unopened packaging.
Details
If you do not declare banned food, you could be fined up to £5,000 in England or be prosecuted. Border Force can also seize products it believes were brought in illegally. If you are unsure about an item, speak to a Border Force officer in the red channel at customs.
Tip
If you have cheese left at the end of the trip, eat it or leave it in Norway; if you bring it anyway, declare it in the red channel rather than risk a fine.
What may differ
Northern Ireland has different rules for food and animal products. Other countries set their own rules for dairy from Norway, so check the customs authority of the country you are travelling to.
Common misconception
Cheese in sealed, shop-bought packaging is allowed.
What actually happens
GOV.UK makes no exception for packaged cheese from Norway. Branded, unopened packaging is only a condition for the infant food and medical food exception.
People also ask
- Can you bring cheese from Norway to the UK?
Sources
This answer is for reference only. Rules can change, so check GOV.UK before you travel.
Brunost, Norway's brown cheeseRelated questions
-
Does Norway have a working holiday visa?
Norway gives working holiday permits only to young citizens of six countries: Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Argentina, Andorra and Canada.
-
Do I need to stop at customs when driving into Norway from Sweden?
When you drive into Norway from Sweden, you only need to stop at customs if you have goods over the quota or value limit to declare.
-
What happens if I bring more than the duty-free quota into Norway?
If you declare the goods over the quota and pay the duty, you keep them, but undeclared goods found by customs lead to a fine and are confiscated.
-
How do I declare goods at Norwegian customs?
You declare goods either in Tolletaten's Kvoteappen before you reach the border or in the red channel at a staffed customs office, where you pay the duty.