Exporting from Toruń to the UK — Customs Broker for Food Products, Kopernik Gingerbread and Electrical Equipment

Toruń — an industrial and export hub in the heart of Poland

Toruń is above all associated with the Kopernik SA gingerbread brand — one of Poland's largest confectionery manufacturers, exporting its products to over 50 countries, including the United Kingdom. However, Toruń's export potential is much broader: Apator SA produces electrical, gas and metering equipment for the energy sector, and Flex (formerly Flextronics) operates an electronics assembly plant here for global technology companies.

Toruń is a sub-zone of the Bydgoszcz Special Economic Zone (BSEZ), which attracts investors and supports export activity. The city sits at the intersection of important transport corridors: the S10 and S5 expressways connect the region with Bydgoszcz, Poznań and Gdańsk, from where routes lead onwards to Germany and Baltic ports. The route from Toruń to Dover covers approximately 1,550 km via Berlin and western Europe to the Channel Tunnel.

Exporting confectionery and food products from Toruń to the UK — legal requirements

Exporting food products to the United Kingdom post-Brexit requires compliance with a range of legal requirements that differ from EU standards. Understanding these regulations is essential for companies such as Kopernik that regularly ship goods to the British market.

Food labelling — UK Food Information Regulations

Since 1 January 2021, food products entering the UK market are subject to the UK Food Information Regulations (FIR). Every label must contain the following information in English:

• Product name and complete list of ingredients
• 14 allergens highlighted in bold or a different typeface
• Nutritional values (per 100g and per serving)
• Best-before date or use-by date
• Storage conditions and instructions for use
• Name and address of the UK importer or distributor
• Country or place of origin (for certain categories)

HFSS — regulation on high-fat, salt and sugar products

The HFSS (High Fat, Salt and Sugar) regulations came into force in the UK in 2022–2023 and restrict the promotion of products high in sugar, fat and salt in retail stores and in online and television advertising. For exporters from Toruń (gingerbread, chocolate products), this means assessing whether their products meet the HFSS threshold and how that classification affects their UK distribution. Easy Clearance does not provide marketing consultancy but directs clients to the appropriate channels for HFSS verification before launching exports.

Customs procedure — food export from Poland to the UK step by step

Exporting food products from Poland to the UK involves the following stages:

1. Document verification: commercial invoice, packing list, composition declaration, quality certificates (where required), English-language labels
2. Polish ECS export declaration: lodging the declaration in the CELINA/AES system and obtaining the IE599 message (0% VAT on export)
3. Transport to the UK: most commonly by road via Germany and Belgium/France to Dover, or by ferry across the North Sea
4. UK import clearance (HMRC CDS): lodging the import declaration and settling customs duty and import VAT by Easy Clearance
5. Border inspection (if applicable): food products may be subject to inspection by UK Border Force or APHA (Animal and Plant Health Agency) on first entry

Electrical equipment and electronics — exports from Toruń to the UK

Apator SA, Toruń's manufacturer of metering and switchgear equipment, exports to many countries including the United Kingdom. Electrical devices exported to the UK (HS codes 8535–8536) must carry UKCA marking from 2023, replacing or supplementing CE marking. This applies to circuit breakers, meters and switchgear covered by the Low Voltage Directive (LVD) and BS EN 60947 standards.

Electronics produced by Flex (Flextronics) are additionally subject to UK RoHS (Restriction of Hazardous Substances) and UK WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) requirements. The UK importer of electronics must be registered in the WEEE system and meet reporting obligations to the relevant authorities.