UK Prohibited Import List 2025 - Cup Noodles and Foods are not allowed for international shipping?
Immigration is such a big deal. Apart from busy packing all essentials for home moving, Hong Kong people usually feel like they no longer have the chance of eating the comfort food that they love: can I have a sip of Chinese deep-boiled soup or eating a cup noodle at midnight? It's 2025! EASYMOVE suggests everyone to read this blog before including these food to your relcoation plan. When entering the UK, there are specific goods that are completely prohibited and will be confiscated by customs.
Food and Drink
The customs of the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom have different restrictions on the food that can be imported. Fruits and vegetables are absolutely not allowed, and anything containing meat, eggs, or dairy products is not allowed to enter, whether it is uncooked, cooked, or dried. In other words, your beloved dried sausages, meat floss, dried pork, cup noodles, egg rolls, soup dumplings, dried seafood, etc. cannot be shipped. They cannot be classified as personal use and must be imported through commercial channels with relevant import permits and tax.
The Mid-Autumn Festival mooncakes with yolk, lotus paste and the lava custard mooncakes contain eggs cannot be shipped. Assign the dedicated logistic company which handles food and the relevant permit.
Some suggests that you can bring 2kg or a certain amount of food to UK. Well...please stick to the regulations and fill in the forms properly and probably apply a permit if you decide to you ship the food for non-commercial use. For details, please read it here.
Supplements or items with Medicinal Ingredients
Any medicine, including Chinese herbal medicine, supplements and even ointments containing medicinal ingredients are not allowed to be sent to the UK. If you plan to take it with you on freight, please clearly state it with a doctor's note before boarding the plane.
Alcohol and Flammable Substances
Drinks and alcohol are not allowed. Get the wine drunk or sold before migration to the UK; Fuel, nail polish, compressed hair spray, heating agents for warmers (powder that can generate heat), etc. are prohibited to the UK.
Counterfeit and Books violating infringing Intellectual Rights
The UK does not allow the import of any counterfeit and items that infringe or violate trademark laws, especially items that infringe local British brands. Don’t take the risk of bringing the counterfeits with you. You are not allowed to bring books, CDs or printed materials that violate copyrights. (Books related to gambling, lottery tickets, pornographic or horror books, paintings or comics are not allowed.)
Precious Metals and Diamonds
Please carry anything that is valuable with you instead of shipping. It is not recommended to bring too much precious metal. Rough diamonds are marked as forbidden. The well-set diamond rings and wedding rings can be taken on board as long as they are clearly stated in the customs declaration.
List of items that cannot be shipped:
❌ Live animals
❌ All foods and beverages, including all types of plants and fruits, meats, and dairy products
❌ Medications, traditional Chinese medicines, and health supplements that require a doctor’s prescription
❌ Powdered substances such as chemicals, milk powder, sand, plants, shells, specimens
❌ Weapons, dangerous goods, various firearms and accessories
❌ Flammable items or compressed tanks or liquefied and pressurized dissolved gases, including: Pressurized gases such as hairspray, insecticides, canned gas, aerosols, etc.
❌ Items containing alcohol (e.g. perfume, nail polish, hand sanitizer)
❌ Items containing lithium batteries (e.g., electric drills)
❌ All business supplies
❌ Tobacco, drugs, poppy, coca, cannabis seeds, etc.
❌ Contraband items listed in the laws of any country or local government through which the goods pass
The UK lists the following items as prohibited items:
❌ Regulated drugs and narcotics
❌ Assault weapons (such as switch blades, firearms), self-defense sprays (such as pepper spray and tear gas), ammunition and explosives
❌ Indecent and obscene items
❌ Radio transmitters not permitted for use in the UK
❌ Any poultry meat and milk, and their products
❌ Plants, plant products (such as fruits, vegetables, potatoes), seeds
❌ Endangered animals and plants, including animal hair, animal skin products and other products from protected species
❌ Rough diamonds
❌ Items that are pirated and infringe on intellectual property rights, including counterfeit brand names, pirated CDs and other products that infringe trademarks, patents and copyrights
To avoid the entire batch of goods being fully inspected or even being detained at customs, please avoid shipping the above items to the UK. For the latest information, please refer to the HMRC and British Customs websites. These banned items include controlled drugs, offensive weapons such as flick knives, and sprays (self-defense, pepper spray and CS gas). Additionally, the importation of endangered animal and plant species, rough diamonds, and indecent or obscene materials—including books, magazines, films, and DVDs—is not allowed. Personal imports of meat and dairy products from most non-EU countries are also restricted.
Moreover, certain items are subject to restrictions that require a special license for importation. This category includes firearms, explosives, and ammunition. Food and plant products are also restricted if they are not free from pests and diseases, are intended for resale rather than personal use, or were not grown within the EU. If you attempt to bring in goods that may infringe on intellectual property rights, such as pirated copies of movies or music, these can be seized, and you could face legal action. (Please visit the British government embargo and restricted entry website)
Extended Knowledge by EASYMOVE: Can I ship the electrical appliances?
Although Dyson comes from the UK, our customers would like to bring the vacuum cleaner to the UK. However, lithium batteries are not allowed at shipment to the UK. We recommend customers to remove the batteries from the appliance and hand carry the relevant lithium battery with a clear declaration. EASYMOVE’s customers shared that Dyson’s appliances requires some tools to disassemble that please reserve more time when you pack electrical appliances.
UK Prohibited List - Plan Ahead with Caution
Take what you really need in life and live a new life in the UK. In fact, many items such as cup noodles, sanitary napkins, hair sprays are sold in the UK, and the range of styles are quite broad nowadays. Immigrants shall review the items that really need to be brought over and pursue a new life by adapting the local food and environment. We hope the list of British embargoes can help you on moving to the UK.
Reach out EASYMOVE for relocation plan by WhatsApp +852 46285535: or fill in the form here.
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