We are holidaying in CVO in May for a fortnight. Expecting things to be more expensive this year. While we love the local produce, our young children do like certain branded staples such as Weetabix as well, so thinking of packing a case with dried foodstuff this time and bringing it over. Does anyone know if this is permitted?-can't find anything definate on the web. Am I likely to get branded things cheaper in the larger stores in Lagoa e.g. Modela, Intermarche or have prices gone up in those too? We were last over in Oct and found basics like baby wipes (even Portugese brands) terribly expensive.

We bring over items that you cannot easily get in the Algarve, various spices and dried herbs, packet sauces etc.
Don,t bother with breakfast cereals, we can get the popular Uk brands ( which are a bit more expensive ) and now try the local varieties.

Modelo has been replaced by Pau a sucar, very similar, Intermarche is very much expat/tourist so is a bit more expensive.
We like Pingo Doce in lagoa for basics.

It is illegal to transport any foodstuffs without a permit. However, most times they do not ask, so play dumb.

I believe that you can transport items such as weetabex freely between EU countries if they are for personal use. You do not need a permitl.

I enquired about this last year and was told that is was only meat / dairy products that could not be brought into Portugal from the UK. This included bacon, sausage, cheese etc.

When we were resident in Lagoa and running the carpentry business near Algoz, Hub would fly home to UK now and then to see his sick Father and on his return he would bring back lovely sausages and large lumps of Cheddar cheese but maybe its stricter these days.

I always vac pack loads of fillet steaks, bacon and sausage for one of my customers who has a villa near Alvor, dont think she's ever been stopped.

You can, as far as I understand from DEFRA, import/export any food across EU borders so long as it is EU produced and is available for purchase within the EU, and is solely for personal consumption. We frequently bring back fresh produce, and in fact my hand baggege was searched on the way out at Christmas with bacon/turkey etc and all was OK.

Chapter & verse here:-

http://ec.europa.eu/food/animal/animalp ... dex_en.htm

This applies to entries from non EU disinations coming into a EU member state. On the whole there are no restrictions within the EU but restrictions may be imposed due to exceptional circumstances. Keep a watch on HMR&C and other sites.

Sounds as though I will be okay bringing dried produce. Many thanks for your responses.

we have always taken to Portugal cheddar, sausages, bacon except for the cheese the rest frozen and packed into our hold luggage and never had a problem, even bought over a whole wheel of cheese one year. But I guess you take your chance.