Before shipping food to the UK, work out whether your goods need an IPAFFS notification and prepare consistent data and commercial and transport documents. The notification must be made before the goods arrive in Great Britain.
Contents
Importing food into the United Kingdom requires a solid plan before the shipment even leaves. The biggest risk is not having the data ready for border declarations and product documentation.
When an IPAFFS notification is needed
According to UK government guidance, you must use IPAFFS before arrival in Great Britain to notify, among others, products of animal origin, high-risk food and feed not of animal origin, and medium and high risk plants and plant products. Both importers and import agents use the system. Details are in our articles: When do goods need IPAFFS and IPAFFS in 2026: who must file a notification.
What to prepare before clearance
- identifying the food category and the border requirements that apply
- a complete data set for the IPAFFS notification, where required (import documents are uploaded before the notification is submitted)
- consistent commercial and transport documentation
- clear ownership of the declarations on the importer's side
- the importer's GB EORI number for customs declarations; see how to get one
The most common problems and how to avoid them
- the notification being made too late
- missing data about the goods and the delivery
- lack of coordination between the supplier, the carrier and the importer
- discrepancies between documents: hold the submission and align the source documents before clearance
How to organise the process within your company
For this category of goods, a simple model works best: complete the data -> check the documents are consistent -> only then submit for clearance. This cuts down on corrections and shortens reaction time. It helps to name one person with full visibility of the commercial, transport and customs documents, and to review the process after every problematic clearance and whenever the product or delivery direction changes.
If you'd like to extend the process with a PL–UK operational checklist, also see: easyclearance.pl's practical guide.
Need support?
If you'd like to get the documents and procedures for this type of goods in order, get in touch with us. We'll go through the data and the risks with you step by step before you ship. For how we quote, see How much does UK customs clearance cost.
Related articles
- How to get an EORI number
- Exporting food to the UK: requirements, EHC and IPAFFS
- The T1 document in 2026
Official sources
- https://www.gov.uk/guidance/import-of-products-animals-food-and-feed-system
- https://www.gov.uk/guidance/import-of-products-animals-food-and-feed-system#register-to-use-ipaffs
Frequently asked questions
Does every type of food need an IPAFFS notification?
No. The notification covers, among others, products of animal origin, high-risk food and feed not of animal origin, and medium and high risk plants and plant products. Check your product's category in the UK government guidance.
Who submits the IPAFFS notification?
Importers and import agents use the system. The notifier is responsible for the consignment from entry into Great Britain until the authorities finish their checks.
When should you start preparing the documents?
Ideally at the transport planning stage. The IPAFFS notification must be made before the goods arrive in Great Britain, and import documents are uploaded before it is submitted.
What should you do if the data in the documents doesn't match?
Hold the submission and align the source documents. Discrepancies are best resolved before clearance, not after the consignment has been stopped.
What helps most in avoiding delays?
A single data checklist shared by everyone involved, and one responsible person who checks that the commercial, transport and customs documents are consistent.
Related guides
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