Trade restrictions led to the UK's prohibition of cheese imports from France and Italy.
The United Kingdom has imposed a ban on imports of certain unpasteurized cheeses from France and Italy due to outbreaks of Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD) in cattle herds in those countries.
Lumpy Skin Disease is a viral disease that affects cattle, causing fever and painful skin nodules. This disease can severely impact cattle health and dairy production. While LSD is not transmissible to humans and does not survive pasteurization, the UK government has imposed the ban as a precaution to prevent the virus from entering the country, which could be economically devastating for UK livestock industries.
The ban, announced by the UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), suspends imports of raw cow milk products from France, Italy, and Switzerland made after May 23, 2025, due to confirmed LSD outbreaks in Italy and France in late June 2025. The virus is spread by biting insects such as flies and mosquitoes and might survive in raw milk, which is why unpasteurised cheese imports are restricted, even though human food safety is not at risk.
The import restrictions affect cheeses like brie, camembert, and certain pecorinos, causing supply shortages and concerns over prices for UK cheese retailers. Cheeses made before May 23, 2025, or those made from pasteurized or thermised milk, are exempt from the ban. The primary goal of the ban is to protect UK agriculture from an outbreak that could necessitate mass culling and severely disrupt the dairy and meat sectors, similar to foot and mouth disease crises.
France reported its first LSD case near Chambéry on June 29th, and Italy confirmed its first case on June 21st, 2025, leading the UK to revoke Italy's LSD-free status and suspend unpasturised imports. The UK government is also banning imports of unpasteurized cheese from Switzerland due to the LSD outbreak.
The ban mostly affects commercial imports but theoretically applies to holidaymakers wanting to bring back cheese. Shortages of these cheeses will become apparent gradually as some aged cheeses will continue to be imported over the next few months. Cheeses produced before May 23rd are exempt if the importer can provide necessary paperwork. The ban applies to cheeses such as Vacherin, Roquefort, Mimolette, Tomme from France, and artisan-produced mozzarella and pecorino from Italy.
It's important to note that LSD does not affect humans, and the UK has also banned imports of meat or dairy products from European countries where the foot and mouth disease virus has been detected, as well as Austria due to the outbreak in neighbouring Hungary.
The UK is not the only European country dealing with livestock diseases. Germany detected an outbreak of foot and mouth disease in January but has since been declared FMD-free. Subsequent outbreaks in Hungary and Slovakia have persisted. Eurostar and ferry companies have been advising travellers that meat and dairy products from all EU countries are banned due to an outbreak of foot and mouth disease in some European countries.
The UK government's decision to ban certain unpasteurized cheeses from France and Italy is a proactive measure to safeguard the country's livestock industries and maintain food safety for consumers. As the situation develops, it is expected that the UK will continue to monitor the LSD outbreaks in France and Italy closely and adjust import restrictions as necessary.
[1] Defra (2025). Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD) in France and Italy: Import Ban on Certain Unpasteurized Cheeses. [online] Available at: https://www.gov.uk/defra/news/lumpy-skin-disease-lsd-in-france-and-italy-import-ban-on-certain-unpasteurized-cheeses
[2] BBC News (2025). UK bans imports of unpasteurised cheese from France and Italy over Lumpy Skin Disease. [online] Available at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-57406179
[3] The Guardian (2025). UK imposes ban on unpasteurised cheese from France and Italy over Lumpy Skin Disease outbreak. [online] Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/food/2025/jul/01/uk-imposes-ban-on-unpasteurised-cheese-from-france-and-italy-over-lumpy-skin-disease-outbreak
[4] Farming UK (2025). Lumpy Skin Disease: UK bans imports of unpasteurised cheese from France and Italy. [online] Available at: https://www.farminguk.com/news/lumpy-skin-disease-uk-bans-imports-of-unpasteurised-cheese-from-france-and-italy-99533
[5] The Telegraph (2025). UK cheese shortages as ban on French and Italian imports comes into force. [online] Available at: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/07/01/uk-cheese-shortages-ban-french-italian-imports-comes-force/
- The travel industry may experience alterations as a result of the UK's ban on certain unpasteurized cheeses imported from France and Italy, potentially impacting the food-and-drink sector within the lifestyle category for tourists.
- The UK government's move to ban certain unpasteurized cheeses is not only related to health-and-wellness concerns but also to the economy, as it aims to protect the livestock industries and maintain consumer food safety.
- Politics plays a significant role in decisions such as the ban on unpasteurized cheese, as it involves countries negotiating trade and animal health standards.
- General news outlets have reported on the Lumpy Skin Disease outbreaks in France and Italy, with implications for both the science sector (as it involves understanding the disease's transmission) and the health-and-wellness sector (in terms of managing the disease within affected cattle herds).
