Eurostar has swiftly pulled pork snacks from Brussels Midi station after urgent biosecurity warnings over illegal imports threatened UK borders.
It was recently revealed that a wide range of banned food items remained on sale beyond security and passport control in a shop exclusively accessible to passengers travelling to London.
This came despite tightened UK rules on personal imports introduced in April, aimed at halting the spread of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) across Europe.
Under the updated regulations, it is illegal to bring foods such as cured meats, cheese, and milk into Britain from the EU. Travellers found breaching the rules face fines of up to £5,000.
The National Pig Association (NPA) described the report as “extremely alarming” and urged the government to take action.
“Clearly the news of these controls, which have been in place for some time, has not been received and understood,” said NPA senior policy adviser, Katie Jarvis.
In response, a Eurostar spokesperson confirmed that the products had been removed.
“Following the UK government’s decision to ban the import of meat and dairy products from the EU, Eurostar has communicated the new regulations to customers on its website and placed clear signage at relevant departure points,” they said.
They added that the Eurostar terminal and retail concessions at Brussels Midi are owned and managed by SNCB, not Eurostar, but that SNCB has confirmed the banned products have now been withdrawn.
The NPA welcomed the move, stressing that the incident underlines the importance of ongoing awareness campaigns about personal import restrictions, especially as the summer holiday season intensifies.
The body has long campaigned for stricter national biosecurity controls and proper enforcement, highlighting that FMD is not the only threat to UK livestock.
The spread of African swine fever (ASF) across Europe presents a constant risk, with recent reports showing a surge in cases in Germany.
