Can you bring food back from Morocco? Rules for the UK, the EU, the US and Canada

By Souvenir Express team · Published 16 October 2026

Open suitcase on a hotel bed with folded clothes, plain tins, paper bags of spices, a small jar of honey and a tied pastry box — Illustration of food souvenirs packed for the flight home.

Short answer: yes, for most typical Moroccan food souvenirs. Tea, spices, biscuits and cakes without fresh cream, chocolate and dates are accepted in the UK and the EU, and honey is limited to 2 kg per person. Meat and dairy products are refused in both. The US and Canada ask you to declare every food item; tea, spices and honey are then usually allowed.

Can you bring spices and tea from Morocco to the UK?

Yes. Great Britain allows bread, cakes without fresh cream, biscuits, chocolate and confectionery from any country without restriction. Tea and dried spices in closed packs do not appear on the lists of restricted foods, which cover meat, dairy, fish and fresh plants.

Food from Morocco	Great Britain	Rule to know
Tea, dried spices, saffron	Allowed in closed packs	Not on the restricted lists
Biscuits, cakes without fresh cream, bread	Allowed from any country	Not filled with meat or dairy
Chocolate and sweets	Allowed	Not made with a lot of unprocessed dairy
Honey	Up to 2 kg per person	Counts as an animal product
Dates	Allowed without a certificate	Also pineapple, banana, mango, citrus
Peeled and processed nuts	Allowed without a certificate	Fresh nuts in shell are not on the list
Meat and meat products	Not allowed	From outside the EU
Milk, cheese, butter	Not allowed	Except infant milk or medical food, up to 2 kg

If you are unsure about an item, declare it: Border Force can seize food that breaks the rules.

What are the EU rules for food from Morocco?

The EU, including France, Belgium, Spain and the Netherlands, applies the same rules in every member state. Meat and milk products from Morocco are prohibited in personal luggage. Honey and other animal products are limited to 2 kg per person, and fish to 20 kg.

Food from Morocco	EU (France, Belgium, Spain…)
Meat, milk, cheese, butter	Prohibited
Infant milk, medical food	Under 2 kg, sealed, no refrigeration needed
Honey	Up to 2 kg per person
Fish	Up to 20 kg per person
Fresh fruit and vegetables	Phytosanitary certificate required
Dates, bananas, pineapple, coconut, durian	No certificate needed
Tea, dried spices	No specific limit in EU guidance

The fresh fruit rule surprises many travellers: since December 2019, fruit, vegetables and plants need a plant health certificate to enter the EU, except the five fruits above.

What can you bring into the US from Morocco?

All food and agricultural products must be declared on arrival, in checked bags and in hand luggage alike. Commercially packaged tea, spices, biscuits and sweets are generally accepted after inspection. Many fresh, dried and canned meats are prohibited, including products that use meat as an ingredient.

Declaring protects you. A prohibited item you declare is simply confiscated; failing to declare it can lead to a civil penalty of up to 1,000 US dollars for a first offence with non-commercial quantities.

What are the rules for Canada?

Canada also asks you to declare all food. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency publishes per-person limits for personal use:

Food	Canada, from Morocco
Tea, spices, coffee	No restriction, up to 20 kg
Honey	No restriction, up to 20 kg
Bakery products	Must not contain meat, up to 20 kg
Dairy	Only ice cream, yogurt, kashk and pasteurized cheese
Meat	Fresh, dried and cured meats not permitted

How much honey can you bring back from Morocco?

Up to 2 kg per person into the UK and the EU, 20 kg into Canada, and in the US any amount you declare is inspected. In hand luggage, honey counts as a liquid: each jar must be 100 ml or less and fit in your 1-litre clear bag. Larger jars go in checked luggage.

Can you bring Moroccan pastries home?

Usually yes, if they contain no fresh cream and no meat. Gazelle horns, ghribas, chebakia and shortbread are dry or honey-coated pastries:

UK: cakes without fresh cream and biscuits are allowed from any country.
EU: products made with milk or butter fall under the milk rules; check before flying if a pastry contains butter.
US: declare them; packaged, shelf-stable sweets are generally accepted.
Canada: bakery products are allowed up to 20 kg if they contain no meat.

Keep pastries in their closed box: it protects them in the bag and makes inspection quick.

What goes in hand luggage and what goes in the hold?

Item	Hand luggage	Checked luggage
Tea, spices, biscuits, pastries	Yes	Yes
Honey, argan oil, olive oil	100 ml max per container, in a 1-litre clear bag	Any size, wrapped in a plastic bag
Liquids bought after security	Accepted in a sealed duty free bag	Yes

Casablanca airport refuses containers over 100 ml at security, even when they are partly empty.

Food souvenirs that travel well, delivered to your hotel

If you would rather not shop around before your flight, Souvenir Express delivers food gifts that fit these rules:

Delivered within 24 hours, free, anywhere in Morocco, to your hotel reception or address. An express option delivers in under an hour, for a fee shown at checkout.
Sealed and packed for the trip: our teas come in metal tins, our pastries in closed boxes, and our honey in single-serve sticks.
Pay by card or cash on delivery. Returns are accepted for 14 days after delivery, with return shipping on us.

Moroccan pastry box with chebakia and almond briouates

Planning the rest of your shopping? Read the best souvenirs from Morocco and what they cost, or last-minute gift ideas before your flight from Casablanca.

FAQ

Can I bring spices from Morocco to the UK?

Yes. Dried spices and tea in closed packs are accepted in Great Britain. Fresh plants and most fresh fruit are not, unless they are on the exempt list.

Can I bring honey from Morocco?

Yes, up to 2 kg per person into the UK or the EU and up to 20 kg into Canada. In the US, declare it on arrival.

Can I bring Moroccan cheese or meat back?

No for the UK and the EU, where meat and dairy from outside the EU are refused. Canada accepts only pasteurized cheese, yogurt, kashk and ice cream; the US prohibits many meat products.

Do I need to declare food from Morocco in the US?

Yes. All food and agricultural products must be declared. An undeclared prohibited item can lead to a civil penalty of up to 1,000 US dollars for a first offence.

Can I take Moroccan pastries on the plane?

Yes, in hand or checked luggage. They are accepted in the UK if they contain no fresh cream, and in Canada if they contain no meat; in the EU, check pastries made with butter.

Can I bring dates from Morocco?

Yes. Dates are exempt from the plant health certificate in both the UK and the EU.

Sources

UK government, Bringing food into Great Britain (items allowed from any country)
UK government, Meat, dairy, fish and animal products (honey: 2 kg; meat and dairy)
UK government, Fruit, vegetables, nuts and seeds (items allowed without a phytosanitary certificate)
European Commission, Personal imports (meat and milk, honey 2 kg, fish 20 kg)
European Commission, Plants and plant products from non-EU countries (phytosanitary certificate, exempt fruits)
US Customs and Border Protection, Bringing agricultural products into the United States (declaration, penalties)
Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Bringing food into Canada for personal use (limits per person)
Casablanca Mohammed V Airport, FAQ (liquids in hand luggage)