Food Restriction

Food restrictions: ordering packaged food from Iceland

Guidance reviewed: 10 November 2026. This guide helps you check destination-country requirements before ordering. Import rules depend on the ingredients, animal species, processing, country of origin and intended use. Factory packaging, smoking, drying or freezing does not by itself establish that a product can enter your country.

Please check both customs requirements and delivery suitability. Government import permission and carrier acceptance are separate. A shipping option or successful checkout is not confirmation of customs clearance. Before ordering meat, fish or food requiring refrigeration, contact us to confirm the specific product, destination and available delivery service.

United States

The United States is not open to every food product without conditions. FDA guidance states that food ordered for personal use and shipped to the US generally requires prior notice. The personal-use exception for food accompanying a traveller does not apply to an online order sent separately.

For international mail, prior notice must be submitted before dispatch unless an exemption applies, and the confirmation number must accompany the food. Since 1 October 2026, submissions for international mail must also include the international mail service name and tracking number.

Fish and seafood: check FDA requirements for the exact product. Do not treat seafood as exempt from food-import requirements simply because most seafood is outside APHIS animal-health regulation. Products containing additional animal ingredients may need further checks.

Meat and meat-containing foods: confirm the applicable USDA requirements before ordering, including for sausages, lamb, hot dogs, meat snacks, extracts and mixed foods. APHIS warns that processed animal products available in US shops may still be ineligible for personal import. We do not give blanket clearance for these products.

Official sources: FDA personal importation; FDA prior notice and current international-mail requirements; FDA prior-notice questions and answers; USDA APHIS guidance on food received in the mail; US Customs guidance for internet purchases.

United Kingdom

Great Britain: England, Scotland and Wales

The current government guidance treats Iceland separately from many other countries. Its personal-use guidance lists fish, poultry and certain other animal products from Iceland among items that can be brought in, while warning of restrictions on most meat and all dairy products because of animal-disease outbreaks. Do not assume that lamb, pork, sausages or dairy products are covered by the fish allowance.

Check the current rules for your exact product and a postal or courier order before purchasing. Traveller allowances must not be treated as automatic approval for every parcel. Where commercial animal-product import rules apply, approved origins and establishments, certification and import notification may be required.

Official sources: Great Britain meat, dairy, fish and animal-product restrictions; Goods sent from abroad; Animal-product import requirements, including commercial post and courier shipments.

Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland has separate guidance. DAERA states that personal-food import rules also cover products ordered online and sent by post or courier. Check its origin, packaging, health-mark and current disease-restriction requirements rather than relying on Great Britain guidance.

Official sources: DAERA personal-food import restrictions; DAERA checks and rules for postal and courier orders.

European Union

The European Commission states that its general third-country personal-import restrictions for animal products do not apply to animal products coming from Iceland. This is not a guarantee that every product, origin or delivery service qualifies. Check the destination authority's current requirements and any product-specific safeguards.

France, Germany, Spain, Portugal, Denmark, Italy, Sweden and the Netherlands should not be treated as universally open or closed based on the old country list. Customs rules and the carrier's ability to deliver a particular food are separate checks.

Official source: European Commission personal imports of animal products.

Canada

CFIA guidance covers food obtained through online purchases as well as food carried by travellers. Its rules for meat from countries other than the US do not permit fresh, dried or cured meat; the specified shelf-stable cooked-meat exceptions must accompany the traveller and cannot be sent by mail or courier. Do not use a traveller's meat allowance to justify an online meat order.

Fish, dried fish and fish roe have different personal-use quantity limits, and animal-health and species requirements can still apply. Check the exact product rather than treating all smoked food as one category.

Official sources: CFIA bringing food into Canada for personal use; CFIA personal-use quantity limits.

Norway

Norwegian guidance distinguishes origins and food types and identifies specific treatment for personal consignments from Iceland. Do not rely on the previous guide's informal “1–5 pieces” or gift description. Check the applicable food-import requirements and delivery arrangements for the actual order.

Official source: Norwegian Food Safety Authority personal food imports.

Other destinations

For India, South Korea and other destinations not detailed above, obtain current guidance from the destination's customs and food or agriculture authority before ordering animal products. There is no single rule for all of Asia. A country not listed here is not automatically open.

Packaged snacks, fish and temperature-sensitive foods

Packaged snacks: check the ingredients, including meat, dairy and egg ingredients in mixed foods. Being shelf-stable or factory-sealed is not an import exemption.

Dried, smoked or cured fish: check the species, ingredients, destination requirements and product storage instructions. Smoked fish and smoked meat must not be treated as the same customs category.

Meat, chilled and frozen products: ask us to confirm product eligibility, carrier acceptance and suitable transit arrangements before ordering. Freezing before dispatch is not a substitute for an appropriate temperature-controlled journey.

This guide does not confirm the product assignments, destinations or carrier acceptance of any particular shipping profile. Please confirm those details with us for restricted or temperature-sensitive items. Do not describe a retail purchase as a gift to avoid import requirements.

Rules and temporary disease restrictions can change. Follow the linked official guidance for your destination and product before placing an order.