Taking Food into Europe (2023)?

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bohrsatom
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Re: Taking Food into Europe (2023)?

Post by bohrsatom »

Harwich to Hook: when you get off the ferry there are two lanes - nothing to declare, and goods to declare. If you cycle under 'nothing to declare' with a ham sandwich in your panniers then you're technically breaking the law, and would suffer the wrath of the border guard should they decide to randomly inspect your bags. IME the chance of this happening is tiny (*), but nevertheless the only way to completely avoid this problem is not to bring in anything forbidden (**)

(*) - I took the ferry over to HvH on Friday and the border guards had no interest in cyclists or their luggage, but of course they might when you travel.

(**) - my view of forbidden is anything of animal original, meat, dairy, cheese, etc. Everything else is OK, although the real rules are more nuanced than this
Steve X
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Re: Taking Food into Europe (2023)?

Post by Steve X »

Whats all this about security and taking pen knives of you when boarding the ferry. Is this a actually happening?
simonhill
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Re: Taking Food into Europe (2023)?

Post by simonhill »

Steve X wrote: 2 May 2023, 10:12pm Whats all this about security and taking pen knives of you when boarding the ferry. Is this a actually happening?
Yes.

Read the Please Report Problems post, currently ⅔rds way down this forum page. Or..

viewtopic.php?t=122907
Steve X
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Re: Taking Food into Europe (2023)?

Post by Steve X »

simonhill wrote: 2 May 2023, 11:24pm
Steve X wrote: 2 May 2023, 10:12pm Whats all this about security and taking pen knives of you when boarding the ferry. Is this a actually happening?
Yes.

Read the Please Report Problems post, currently ⅔rds way down this forum page. Or..

viewtopic.php?t=122907
Thanks for that.

It seems to be that taking knives from the Cargo area to the passenger area could be an issue, as it should be. The latests posts suggest no problem.
The issue with Multi Year threads like that is they get too long to read and stuff gets out of date.
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pjclinch
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Re: Taking Food into Europe (2023)?

Post by pjclinch »

bikes4two wrote: 2 May 2023, 8:44am
pjclinch wrote: 1 May 2023, 5:49pm We're over to NL a fair bit (mijn vrouw is Nederlands) and we never take food with us. You're never far from a town, so you're never far from an Albert Heijn, Jumbo or similar. Seems daft to cart stuff about when you can get fresh at the shop there...
In your many visits, have you or onyone else that you're aware of, been stopped and searched for food products?

I ask this as we're off to France later this month in our small campervan and whilst you say there's no shortage of local produce, that's not the point for those on a tight budget and facing higher prices on the Continent.
Not yet. In the last few years that's arriving by bike and car.
We'll be over in the campervan in the not too distant future, I'll try and remember to report back on what happened.

Are prices really that much higher in e.g. Lidl NL than Lidl UK? (I don't know, but while a recent trip to Lapland was noticeably dearer to do the shopping than at home (Scandanavia being famously dear, and I guess costs are higher in any case if you have to get everything up to the Arctic circle) I've not been struck by ruinous prices in NL).

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plancashire
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Re: Taking Food into Europe (2023)?

Post by plancashire »

Food in Germany is generally cheaper than in UK. Supermarket competition is pretty stiff here. A colleague travels most years to Norway and takes food and beer with him as it is much more expensive there.

We are coming to the UK in a couple of weeks. Let's see if the weak pound has made the difference even greater.
I am NOT a cyclist. I enjoy riding a bike for utility, commuting, fitness and touring on tout terrain Rohloff, Brompton M3 and Wester Ross 354 plus a Burley Travoy trailer.
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MrsHJ
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Re: Taking Food into Europe (2023)?

Post by MrsHJ »

I suspect the point maybe that you can stock up on good value basics that you know work before leaving so not risking higher prices.

My parents used to stock up for while before our annual house swap in Europe each year (taking the car in the ferry with tins stowed beneath the seats). As much as anything I think it meant they could spread the cost over a few months plus they didn’t have to deal with weird foreign food as it was the 1980s!
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pjclinch
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Re: Taking Food into Europe (2023)?

Post by pjclinch »

MrsHJ wrote: 4 May 2023, 6:18am I suspect the point maybe that you can stock up on good value basics that you know work before leaving so not risking higher prices.
The thing is you'd get you good value basics somewhere like Lidls, and go over to NL where they have... somewhere like Lidls, in which there may be people stocking up on the basics they might use on their holiday in case it turns out the UK doesn't have somewhere like Lidls...
MrsHJ wrote: 4 May 2023, 6:18am My parents used to stock up for while before our annual house swap in Europe each year (taking the car in the ferry with tins stowed beneath the seats). As much as anything I think it meant they could spread the cost over a few months plus they didn’t have to deal with weird foreign food as it was the 1980s!
I think the weird forrin food thing has resolved itself, and spreading the cost... well, rather than spend £x per month on basics for a few months, why not just put £x in to a savings pot over the same time and then you've spread the cost of food in NL just as effectively, only you don't have to carry it around before you need it and you don't need to set your menu options months in advance.

Taking significant amounts of food makes a fair deal of sense if you'll otherwise be reliant on small convenience stores in the back of beyond, but if you've got bikes in NL it just strikes me as over-thinking the logistics. You're really never that far from fresh produce for sale at prices that strike me as in line with the UK.

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francovendee
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Re: Taking Food into Europe (2023)?

Post by francovendee »

plancashire wrote: 3 May 2023, 7:36pm Food in Germany is generally cheaper than in UK. Supermarket competition is pretty stiff here. A colleague travels most years to Norway and takes food and beer with him as it is much more expensive there.

We are coming to the UK in a couple of weeks. Let's see if the weak pound has made the difference even greater.
It's the opposite here in France, even with Lidl prices. Vegetable prices from a farming country are ridiculously high, even staples like potatoes.
A friend from the UK who stays with us every year always comments on this. Weirdly the cost of a meal ( English pub sort) is far less in France.
When we moved here 20 years back food was cheaper but unfortunately that's no longer the case.
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MrsHJ
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Re: Taking Food into Europe (2023)?

Post by MrsHJ »

I agree Pete (and as a cycle tourist I’m a daily shopper in whatever country I’m in- I’ve never done any expedition touring trips into the wild unless the USA counts!) but it’s a matter of preference at a certain point.
simonhill
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Re: Taking Food into Europe (2023)?

Post by simonhill »

I have just seen that Aldi in France now open on Sunday. Can't confirm for all stores, but the ones I looked up were 08:00 to 12:30. Still open on Mondays (all day).

I mention this in the post's context, because if like me you arrive Saturday evening it's a long time till Monday or even Tuesday before being able to get food.

Pleased to see that you can take bananas (and other tropical fruits) into the EU. Presumably no fear of contamination.
Jdsk
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Re: Taking Food into Europe (2023)?

Post by Jdsk »

simonhill wrote: 30 May 2023, 5:01pm ...
Pleased to see that you can take bananas (and other tropical fruits) into the EU.
...
Subject only to curvature compliance?

; - )

Jonathan
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MrsHJ
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Re: Taking Food into Europe (2023)?

Post by MrsHJ »

I think it varies but I’ve seen a few places open til say 7:30pm on a Sunday- I was really sceptical when I saw it but it was real- opening hours do seem to be relaxing a bit. However- public holiday yesterday and almost everything closed (not a complaint- just a warning to be prepared)- I got food at a gas station/convenience outlet (so tinned toms, haricots rouge, potatoes etc) as I knew I’d have to cook that evening.
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pjclinch
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Re: Taking Food into Europe (2023)?

Post by pjclinch »

Coming back in yesterday, Dieppe to Newhaven, French customs wanted a quick look in the van (weren't interested in cupboard/bag etc. contents) and ran the hand-held metal detector over me.
English side asked if we had any meat products. We confirmed we didn't, the lady bade us a good afternoon and sent us on our way.

Dutch/Belgian/French supermarkets maybe a bit dearer than home, but not significantly. Bakeries generally cheaper and a high standard too, and typically one close to or delivering to campsites.

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Psamathe
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Re: Taking Food into Europe (2023)?

Post by Psamathe »

simonhill wrote: 30 May 2023, 5:01pm I have just seen that Aldi in France now open on Sunday. Can't confirm for all stores, but the ones I looked up were 08:00 to 12:30. Still open on Mondays (all day).

I mention this in the post's context, because if like me you arrive Saturday evening it's a long time till Monday or even Tuesday before being able to get food.

Pleased to see that you can take bananas (and other tropical fruits) into the EU. Presumably no fear of contamination.
I thought it always used to be down to the local Mairie (or level higher in smaller communes?). Hence a lot of local variation. Both supermarket has to want it to happen and Mairie has to allow it to happen. Things may have changed.

Ian
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