Questions and answers about buying foodstuffs when travelling abroad

From a country outside the EU, you may not bring any meat or dairy products into Sweden without an authorisation from the Swedish Board of Agriculture. Generally, the Swedish Board of Agriculture does not grant such authorisation for private individuals. One of the few exceptions is powdered infant formula.

In principle, as you are coming to Sweden from another EU country, you are free to bring in foodstuffs for private use.

As Thailand is outside the EU, your sister may bring back foodstuffs that do not contain meat or dairy products (i.e. animal products). It is forbidden to bring some fruits and vegetables from countries outside the EU.

Read more about the rules for various foodstuffs (information from the Swedish Board of Agriculture).

If you want to import foodstuffs commercially (i.e. for commercial trade), you must, first and foremost, be registered with the environmental department (or similar) of your local government authority. You also have to contact Sweden’s National Food Agency to get more information about importing fruit.

Read about the commercial import of foodstuffs (information in swedish).

Owing to bird flu in, amongst other areas, Asia, the EU Commission has decided on certain protective measures and restrictions in respect of countries affected by bird flu. These protective measures may vary depending on which land the products or birds are to come from.