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Source: 26 Oct. 2004. Hindustan Times. http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/5983_1074971,00430005.htm
Headline: Govt launches 'If in doubt, Leave it out' awareness campaign
It has always been a problem, what edibles people coming from India can bring for their relatives and friends in Britain. But now a new campaign launched by the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) is to help in letting people returning to the UK know about the risks and controls on bringing back food products.
This public campaign aims to raise awareness of the rules among people who are likely to travel back to the UK from countries outside the EU. The current rules mean that it is illegal to bring meat and milk-based products for personal use back into the UK from outside the EU. There are also limits on bringing back other food items, including fish, shellfish, honey, eggs and certain types of fruit and vegetables.
The limits depend on the country people are travelling from, and the same rules apply whether these food items are for personal use, as a gift, or if they are sent in the post. If the item is banned, or is in an amount greater than is allowed, it will be seized and destroyed.
Controls on food imports are essential to protect public health and livestock and the Government is committed to reducing the risks of disease entering the food chain via illegally imported food products, says the department. Measures to raise public awareness and improve preventative measures at the UK border and inland are backed by £25 million from 2003-06.
Launching this phase of the 'If in doubt, Leave It out' campaign, Food and Farming Minister, Larry Whitty said: "People may not see any harm in bringing food back to the UK when they return from a holiday or a business trip, but some foods may contain pests and diseases that threaten the health of our agricultural crops and livestock, as well as public health. Because of these risks, there are strict restrictions on foodstuffs brought back from countries outside the EU."
"I would urge everyone to check the rules before they leave the UK. If you are caught breaking them, then you may face long delays, prosecution and a fine."
The campaign will incorporate a public information film, radio and print advertising. Posters and leaflets will be available in English, Arabic, Bengali, Chinese, Gujarati, Hindi, Punjabi, Turkish and Urdu. A staffed and fully-equipped mobile unit will explain the campaign's key messages around the UK. The unit will provide a 'one stop shop' for people to check the rules surrounding food imports, via an interactive website and campaign literature. The mobile unit will visit over 30 locations around the country. Stops include: London, Birmingham, Bradford, Liverpool, Manchester and Brighton.
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See also: http://news.scotsman.com/latest.cfm?id=3670207
To check the new illegal imports database see http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/illegali/default.htm
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