Trade samples

Wednesday 28 December 2011

Trade samples of food can be imported for test marketing, research and development, or quality assurance purposes.

Samples of food that do not contain products of animal origin (POAO)

Samples of food that do not contain any POAO can enter the UK freely, unless restrictions apply. See a list of foodstuffs subject to European Union (EU) restrictions .

If the samples are for taste testing, they must be edible and free from contamination. Even if the samples are given away, it is likely that they will be controlled by food law as there is an 'extended definition of sale' in the Food Safety Act 1990 which covers food given away. For further advice, contact your local authority's food safety team or environmental health department .

Samples of food containing POAO (such as fish, meat, honey or dairy products)

If you want to import samples of POAO, then you must check what and how much is allowed and complete an authorisation form. For further information contact the Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency (AHVLA):

AHVLA Divisional Office
Beeches Road
Chelmsford
Essex CM1 2RU
tel: 01245 454860
nightline: 01245 353632
fax: 01245 351162
email: AHITChelmsford@ahvla.gsi.gov.uk

The (External) application form can be downloaded from the Defra website .

If AHVLA provides you with an authorisation exempting your product or products from checks at Border Inspection Posts, then these samples may be brought into the UK without the need to be accompanied by certification. But they must be accompanied by the original authorisation form. However, if they are to be used in taste testing, they must be safe for human consumption, and:

not be contaminated
be from an approved non-EU country (see a (External) list of approved non-EU countries on the European Commission website )
have been heat treated
only be consumed by employees and trade customers (i.e. representatives of companies that may purchase future products) who must be advised that the products have not been subjected to imported food checks at any Border Inspection Post on entry to the UK. Authorisations are not issued for samples intended for taste testing by the general public.

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Trade samples

Samples of food that do not contain products of animal origin (POAO)

Samples of food containing POAO (such as fish, meat, honey or dairy products)

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