Navigating UK Food Export Regulations: A Guide

A Guide for Global Businesses

It’s no secret that navigating the UK import/export process can be fairly tricky in places; especially for food and perishables.

You need to take into account the specific requirements of the country you’re exporting to and from, obtain health certificates/vet approval, and on top of all this, you need to fill out mountains of documentation for all kinds of niche requirements.

You’d certainly be forgiven for feeling a bit overwhelmed at the whole process.  

Don’t worry though! In this guide, we’ll explore all the reasons why you shouldn’t get flustered at the thought of shipping your products across borders (and obviously tell you all the ways Border Bridge Export can help you along the way).

Documents, Documents, Documents

One of the first hurdles in exporting food to and from Great Britain is ensuring compliance with the necessary documentation. In the UK, there are over 3000 documents for exporting foodstuffs; so finding the right one in this sea of choice can often be a bit of a headache.

On top of this, you have to select the correct form for POAO (Products of Animal Origin) and whether its being exported to the EU, USA, Northern Ireland… etc.  

Good news though! The UK Government has a great way to locate the correct document on their website. Simply search for the type of product you’re looking to export and Gov.uk will have the form for it.

Alternatively, BBE can handle all this stress for you.

As an export partner we locate the correct document for you, fill out all the appropriate fields and ensure that no errors occur which could see your shipment get rejected from the border and sent back. Or worse, get held at the border.

(This is very expensive- you want to avoid this at all costs).

Health Certificates and Vets (Not For Your Pets)

Health certificates are an essential part of the export journey.

They ensure that any of the products being exported are fit for human consumption. The importing country (that is the country you are looking to sell your food to) will be looking for one of these before any of your shipments even leave the UK.

The EU in particular are very particular about this.

And before the Health Certificates for any POAO can be signed and sent, it needs to be approved by a certified Vet. Unlike the vets you take your family dog to, these ones are qualified to certify your products can be eaten safely. Securing a Vet that meets these standards can be tricky, but essential.

Luckily, BBE already has quality vets on standby which can certify all your products for you. Just another stress dealt with by us…

Moving it all from A-B

Getting the goods across the border is impossible without the right transportation.

Like most things on the global import/export stage, there are many options to consider, companies to go with and (of course) international standards to meet.

The transportation of food products globally is regulated by ISO (International Organisation for Standardisation). They ensure that all products being moved maintain a consumable quality and have different standards for each food type/method of transport.

Choosing a transportation partner that will safely move your goods from A-B without spoiling anything is a pivotal step in the process of selling abroad as well as domestically on the British Isles.

Here at Border Bridge Export, we have a list of transportation partners ranging from shipping containers to cold-store/controlled temperature environments.

So many reasons to work with us…

Challenges Foster Success!

If you’re sat there looking at all of these obstacles and thinking to yourself ‘There’s a lot to take into consideration’, you’re not wrong. However, doing all this is not impossible.

In 2022, the FDF (Food and Drink Federation) reported that the UK exported £24bn worth of food, so there is definitely successes to be had.

The main things to take into consideration are the meticulous checking of all documents once signed and ensuring that all necessary forms/processes are completed.

As well as the knowledge that working with us would be so much easier.

If you think that Border Bridge Exports could be of any help to you or your company, feel free to head over to our ‘Contact Us’ page and book a free consolation.