Taking chocolates from UK to EU

[TheLeadbetterLife]

Hi, hoping someone has experience of this. We live in an EU country and my husband is going to the UK for work next week for a few days.

I was hoping he might be able to bring back a box of a particular brand of chocolates we like for Christmas, but I've read conflicting information about whether he'll be able to.

It'll only be one box, of about 500g, mixed milk and dark chocolates. I'm not sure if it'll be nobbled by the dairy restrictions, and don't want to spend the money only to have them confiscated at the airport.

Anyone taken chocolates out of the UK recently?

[AuldAlliance]

Will he be taking them in his hand luggage?

[BertieBotts]

It will be fine. It's only posting that's an issue.

[TheLeadbetterLife]

Hand luggage yes. Chocolate seems to be exempt from the restrictions, as long as it’s less than 2kg and the percentage of milk in it is less than 50. According to the chocolatier it is, so hopefully the box won’t be swiped at security.

[AuldAlliance]

In theory, it's not as simple as that and the issue isn't dairy products but whether chocolate is a solid or a liquid (I checked a few days ago before taking chocolate from France to the UK).

Advice varies, but the Air France website (here) says that chocolate is considered as a non-solid and therefore subject to the same restrictions as other such items (100ml max, in a transparent plastic bag).

[BertieBotts]

But if it's considered a liquid isn't that to do with airport security and not customs? Why would that suddenly change post Brexit?

[AuldAlliance]

But I flew with orangettes in my hand luggage and it was fine. There was such chaos on all other levels that I don't think they could be bothered with that kind of detail, TBH.

[AuldAlliance]

The rules haven't changed post-Brexit.
The stringency with which they are applied may have.

[Quornflakegirl]

I took chocolate to the EU as gifts last week, no problems at all.

[TheLeadbetterLife]

Hmm, he’ll be flying from stansted with Ryanair. Are they particularly fastidious?

I did once have a cheese confiscated at Brussels airport for the liquid thing, come to think of it. The security person had a crate full of delicious looking stuff for his tea next to him.

[BertieBotts]

Flown from there loads of times and never had chocolate treated as a non solid. The one thing they were a bit confused about was tubs of bisto granules!

[Crazycatlady202020]

I flew from Stansted with Ryanair last month to an EU country and took a tub of Quality Streets as a gift, not in hand luggage though. I didn't have a problem.

[TheLeadbetterLife]

Well fingers crossed, I’ve ordered a big box of Guilbert’s for him to bring back.

[AuldAlliance]

@TheLeadbetterLife
I need to know about your chocolate delivery . Hope it made it to you OK.