United Kingdom

No agreement yet · Strong coverage · Compiled 2026-07-05

44 screening rules

Labeling: 22 rules — 19 blocking, 2 conditional, 1 advisory
Additives: 5 rules — 3 blocking, 0 conditional, 2 advisory
Contaminants & residue limits: 5 rules — 5 blocking, 0 conditional, 0 advisory
Import & registration: 12 rules — 6 blocking, 5 conditional, 1 advisory

Market profile

Main food law: Food Safety Act 1990 + retained 178/2002
Labeling regulation: Retained EU 1169/2011; FIR 2014
Import requirements: FSA imports guidance (HTML)
National standards body: BSI — paywalled
Latest USDA FAIRS report: 2024

Certificates required

UK IPAFFS pre-notification & GB health certificate — Mandatory (Applies to: Animals, POAO, high-risk FNAO, plants)
Veterinary health certificate (products of animal origin) — Mandatory (Applies to: Products of animal origin)
Phytosanitary certificate (IPPC / ePhyto) — Mandatory (Applies to: Regulated plants & plant products)
GSP Form A / REX statement on origin — Mandatory (Applies to: DCTS beneficiary goods claiming preference)
BRCGS Food Safety — Commonly requested (Applies to: UK retail suppliers (de facto required))
SMETA (Sedex Members Ethical Trade Audit) — Commonly requested (Applies to: Retail suppliers)
GLOBALG.A.P. IFA — Commonly requested (Applies to: Fresh produce)
Fairtrade certificate — Commonly requested (Applies to: Coffee, cocoa, bananas, tea)
Vegan Trademark (The Vegan Society) — Commonly requested (Applies to: Vegan claims)

Import and export

Documents to import

Commercial invoice — Issued by: Exporter — Mandatory
Packing list — Issued by: Exporter — Conditional
Bill of lading / air waybill / CMR — Issued by: Carrier — Mandatory
Customs declaration — Issued by: HMRC — Mandatory
EORI number (GB) — Issued by: HMRC — Mandatory
IPAFFS pre-notification (CHED) — Issued by: Defra / APHA — Conditional (mandatory for SPS goods)
Export health certificate (EHC) from exporting country — Issued by: Exporting competent authority — Conditional
Phytosanitary certificate — Issued by: Exporting NPPO — Conditional
Official certificate + lab results (HRFNAO) — Issued by: Exporting authority — Conditional
Proof of origin (statement on origin / EUR.1) — Issued by: Exporter — Conditional
Food business registration with local authority — Issued by: Local authority — Mandatory
Catch certificate — Issued by: Flag state — Conditional

Documents to export

Commercial invoice — Issued by: Exporter — Mandatory
Export declaration — Issued by: HMRC — Mandatory
Export health certificate (EHC) — Issued by: APHA / Official Veterinarian; Defra — Conditional
Phytosanitary certificate — Issued by: APHA / PHSI — Conditional
Certificate of origin — Issued by: British Chambers of Commerce — Conditional
Legalisation (FCDO apostille) + embassy attestation — Issued by: FCDO; destination embassy — Conditional
Catch certificate (UK) — Issued by: Marine Management Organisation — Conditional

Government fees

Common User Charge (Sevington / Dover & Eurotunnel BCP) (Import) — GBP 29 per commodity line (medium/high risk; cap 145 per CHED); GBP 10 low-risk POAO (cap 50)
Port health POAO check (CHED-P) - SCPHA (Felixstowe) (Import) — 65.43 (up to 6 t) + 10.87/t for 7-46 t; max 497.62; low-risk POAO 10.61 GBP
Port health HRFNAO (CHED-D) document check (Import) — 68.94 GBP
Port health HRFNAO sampling (Import) — 93.85-171.72 GBP
Food business registration (Import) — Not confirmed — check with the authority
VAT/GST on imported food (Import) — Not confirmed — check with the authority

Customs single window: CDS + IPAFFS

Customs duties are not included.

A fee without a confirmed amount is listed by name only.

Official sources

USDA FAIRS Country Report Annual — United Kingdom (2024) (2024) Open the source
Food Safety Act 1990 (consolidated, legislation.gov.uk) (1990) Open the source
Food Standards Act 1999 (consolidated, legislation.gov.uk) (1999) Open the source
Assimilated Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 — food information to consumers (as retained in GB law) (2011) Open the source
Assimilated Regulation (EC) No 178/2002 — general food law (GB) (2002) Open the source
Food Information Regulations 2014 (SI 2014/1855, England) (2014) Open the source
FSA — Importing food guidance (imports-exports portal) (2026) Open the source
GOV.UK — Risk categories for animal and animal product imports to Great Britain (BTOM) (2026) Open the source
Food Information (Amendment) (England) Regulations 2019 (SI 2019/1218, 'Natasha's Law') (2019) Open the source
Food (Promotion and Placement) (England) Regulations 2021 (SI 2021/1368, HFSS rules) (2021) Open the source
Assimilated Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 — food additives (GB) (2008) Open the source
Assimilated Regulation (EC) No 1881/2006 — maximum levels for contaminants in food (GB) (2006) Open the source
Assimilated Regulation (EC) No 396/2005 — pesticide MRLs (GB) and the GB MRL statutory register (2005) Open the source
FSA — Introduction to allergen labelling changes (PPDS / Natasha's Law) guidance (2021) Open the source
GOV.UK — Moving food and drink from Great Britain to Northern Ireland (NIRMS, Windsor Framework) (2026) Open the source

Reference documents

USDA FAIRS Country Report Annual — United Kingdom (2024) Open the source
Food Information Regulations 2014 (SI 2014/1855) (2014) Open the source
Retained Regulation (EU) 1169/2011 — food information (GB) (2011) Open the source
Retained Regulation (EC) 178/2002 — general food law (GB) (2002) Open the source
Food Standards Act 1999 (1999) Open the source
Food Safety Act 1990 (1990) Open the source
BSI standards
FSA — importing food guidance (current) Open the source

Guidance compiled from published sources — not legal clearance. Confirm the requirements with the destination regulator or a licensed advisor before shipping.

Screening guidance based on published standards — not legal clearance. Requirements marked "needs verification" are directional hints; confirm with the destination regulator or a licensed advisor before shipping.