UK to France Shopping

I am planning a little trip to the UK in October.
I intend on stocking up on a lot of goodies at a couple of super markets before catching the ferry.
Has anyone else done this recently?
What is the situation with the French Customs these days post Brexit and the end of the ‘good-will’ period now?
Is my car likely to be searched?
Am I likely to be charged for the goods (food stuff), Beans, Cereals, Tea etc.?
How can they calculate this?
I assume if I keep my receipts they can only charge a percentage of what I paid in the UK.
Any advice?

I cant image for one moment that they will be interested.

  • You’re very unlikely to be searched. From my experience, about a 1 in 20 chance at Sangatte or Dieppe.
  • You’re allowed to bring in reasonable quantities of groceries for personal use with no duty or charges imposed.
  • Meat and dairy products are prohibited - if you carry them and you happen to be chosen for a search they will probably go over the rest of your contents with a fine-tooth comb.
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Though not suggesting for one instant that @gregca might have such intentions, I wonder what les douanes might consider a reasonable amount of sliced bread or Marmite?

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For Marmite, a reasonable quantity? zero.

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‘Reasonable’ - therein lies the rub…

Up to 5ish - probably personal.
Above 50ish - probably commercial.

It’s all down to the assessment made by the individual douanier. But the more the quantities suggest commercial, the deeper they will dig…

Hubby returned home today. Car full of my shopping list, beans, curry spices / pastes, Mitchum deodorant, crisps, wallpaper ect. No check getting off at Dieppe at 4.30 am but he did get stopped and his suitcase opened by French customs on the way out.

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Marmite…food for the Gods

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@toryroo, not sure if i follow, did you mean inward trip to France at Dieppe was ok, but they checked him on outward, but why would French customs be interested in him leaving

OH had case checked when travelling Caen to Portsmouth in February, waved through on return to Caen. While I was waiting at Plymouth last month with a van full of goodies someone was having their engine bay checked while being given a pat down search. Luckily I was waved through. By the time my passport was checked at Roscoff it was so late (ferry had been delayed by 1.75 hours) I don’t think they cared.

Thank you all.
Marmite - 4 large jars I think.
Has anyone else suffered from the contents bubbling out when they have been kept for some time? I suspect the yeast has reactivated and the fermentation process restarted. It reminded me of a Russian fairytale of the pot that never emptied. The Marmite was still edible (yes before you say it, Marmite is definitely edible). Those who hate it just have odd taste buds.
I also planned on bringing some lovely bacon and sausages in a cooler box… I will just take the risk and see what happens.

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Wrap them up so they look like a gift.

The downside of bringing in prohibited items is that if you are caught then it is now easy to put a marker on the vehicle reg number or entry record which will flash up next time recommending extra surveillance. Whereas in pre single market/custom union days (when similar restrictions existed) such technolgy and data bases did not exist.
So “getting caught” is likely to have ramifications beyond just that one event.

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Yes correct And i have no idéa why! Brie? Drugs? Confit du canard? :rofl:

was it a random check… or were they checking everyone??
Either way, it shows that checks are being made.
There’s been a lot of activity/success by the French customs etc…

Yes that is definitely the case for me. I was arrested for importing a turtle shell that I found on a beach in Africa in 1980 because it is prohibited import. I was given a warning and told it would be added to any future violations. I am still checked every time I go through customs.

Brits here on CDS permits are on shaky ground if they commit offences, you can be asked to leave just like that if the authorities decide so. Nothing is worth the risk of losing your right to residency over some food.

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Do the French stamp your passport if you are a 10 year French residency permit holder?
Is it sufficient to show your residency card as an alternative to your passport upon entry into France?

No. Your residency card is not an identity card.

They aren’t supposed to, but some french immigration officers dont appear to be too clued up yet. I entered via Paris Beauvais 2 weeks ago and they were going to stamp mine until I explained why they shouldn’t :roll_eyes: