The UK government has brought in a temporary ban on holidaymakers bringing in cheese and meat products from the EU in a bid to prevent the spread of foot and mouth disease (FMD).
Travellers have not been allowed to bring back items such as cured meat and cheese, including in sandwiches, since Saturday due to the growing outbreak on the continent.
The restrictions apply regardless of whether the goods are packed or packaged, or bought from duty free.
It follows an earlier ban of similar products from Germany, Hungary, Slovakia and Austria after rising cases of the cattle disease in those countries.
FMD is a highly infectious virus that causes blisters inside an animal's mouth and under their hooves, and can cause lameness and problems feeding.
It causes no risk to humans and there are currently no cases of foot-and-mouth disease in the UK.
Any products of animal origin, like meat and dairy, could potentially be contaminated with FMD.
There are concerns that if contaminated products enter the UK, even if they are designed for human consumption, there is a chance that they could be consumed by animals – for instance if they are thrown away in a way that could come into contact with foraging wildlife or domestic livestock.
The restrictions apply to people arriving in Great Britain, not Northern Ireland, Jersey, Guernsey, or the Isle of Man.
Products will be seized and destroyed if people try to bring them in, and in "serious cases" people could be fined up to £5,000.
The list of restricted products includes:
- pork
- beef
- lamb
- mutton
- goat
- venison
- other products made from these meats, for example sausages
- milk and dairy products like butter, cheese and yoghurt
People can bring up to 2kg per person of powdered infant milk, infant food, or special food needed for medical reasons.
