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CHRISTMAS

Where to find traditional British Christmas food in Spain

Here's where Britons can find all their favourite British Christmas treats if they're staying in Spain for the holidays this year or find that they can't bring them with them on the flight due to the customs rules that now apply after Brexit.

Published: 4 December 2020 16:35 CET
Updated: 14 December 2023 08:45 CET
mince pies in Spain
Where to buy mince pies in Spain and other British Christmas treats. Photo: bluemorphos / Pixabay

Many of Spain’s 400,000 British residents prefer to stay at home for Christmas rather than go back to Blighty, and thousands of UK tourists also choose to spend the festive period in the warmer areas of Spain.

While this may mean missing friends and family back home, it doesn’t necessarily have to mean missing out on the things that make it feel like a traditional British Christmas.

Mince pies, Christmas puddings and crackers can be a little tricky to find in some places in Spain, but it’s not impossible.

Those that are going back for Christmas may find that as a result of Brexit, they can’t bring their usual treats back with them such as chocolates, sweets, fudge and custard. 

This is because of the EU’s strict customs rules, meaning that imports of animal-derived products brought from outside of the common market are banned or strictly controlled, including anything containing milk, cream, gelatine and the suet you find in your mince pies. 

READ ALSO: Christmas travel between Spain and the UK: What can I not pack in my suitcase?

The Local’s Esme Fox has scoured the country to find the best places to source your British Christmas treats, for those who can’t bring it back with them or who don’t feel quite up to the task of making it all from scratch!

READ ALSO – KEY POINTS: What are the new Covid travel rules between Spain and the UK?

Spain-wide

Overseas Supermarkets stock a range of different British products, including many from Iceland and Waitrose. They have branches across the Costa del Sol, the Costa Blanca, Alicante, the Canary Islands, Ibiza, Murcia and Almería. They sell British Christmas stapes including mince pies, Christmas pudding, ginger sponge pudding and Christmas cake, among others.  

The Food Co. a chain of British supermarkets that opened its doors across Spain in 2019, and have branches in Puerto de Mazarrón (Murcia), Sotogrande, Calahonda, Guadalmina (all in Andalusia), Málaga, Lanzarote and Ciudad Quesada in Alicante. They sell mostly Tesco-branded products, as well as other much-loved British treats.

Taste of America stores can be found in many of the major cities in Spain including Madrid, Barcelona, Sevilla, Zaragoza, León and Valencia. While they stock mainly American holiday treats such as candy canes and cranberry sauce, they do sometimes sell British items too.

British Christmas

British Christmas fare in Spain. Photo: Jill Wellington / Pixabay
 

The gourmet food section of El Corte Inglés is always a good place to look when searching for anything out of the ordinary that you can’t find in the regular supermarkets here. You should be able to find a selection of mince pies and they sometimes stock Christmas crackers too.

Homeware store Muy Mucho, which has branches across the country and sells things such as boxes of Christmas crackers, candy canes and Christmas hot chocolate with marshmallows. Furniture and homeware store Maisons du Monde also sell Christmas crackers. 

Dealz, which is similar to a Poundland-type shop also often sells British favourites and can be found in Madrid, Valencia, Malaga, Alicante, and various towns on the Costa del Sol.

While it’s easy to make your own mulled wine, if you want to buy it instead, both Ikea and Lidl have good alternatives. Ikea sells the Swedish version called glogg, while Lidl has the traditional German glühwein. Lidl also has a great selection of German and Italian Christmas treats in case you’re missing those too, from gingerbread biscuits to panettone. 

Barcelona

If you’re spending the holidays in Barcelona, the best place to pick up your traditional British Christmas fair is A Taste of Home supermarket, which also has branches just down the coast in Sitges and in Cubelles. They stock everything from Christmas crackers and Christmas puddings to brandy sauce, stuffing mix and chocolate selection boxes.

Valencia

Mercat Central Valencia has a specialist British food stall which sells Christmas must-haves such as mince pies, Christmas puddings, crackers and golden syrup to make those all-important Christmas gingerbread men.

Christmas pudding

Find out where you can buy your Christmas puddings in Spain. Photo: Matt Seymour / Unsplash

Andalusia

Andalusia is one of the easiest regions in Spain to source any British products, including Christmas ones, due to the number of Brits living there and the international shops and supermarkets.

As well as the Overseas stockists of Iceland and Waitrose and the new Food Co. there are Marks & Spencer stores in Marbella and Malaga. Overseas Supermarkets can be found in Puerto Banus, Mijas and Pueblo Nuevo, among others.

Madrid 

While a few years ago there used to be several British shops in Madrid, the Covid-19 pandemic seemed to put an end to most of them. Luckily, Living in London has reopened and continues to sell a range of Christmas puddings, mince pies, cranberry sauce, jars of brandy butter, and biscuits. 

Americans in Madrid may want to check out Yummy Planet, which sells a whole range of imported goods, from cherry and apple pie filling to candy and cake and cookie mixes. 

Go for the Spanish experience! 

Spain of course has its own Christmas traditions and this being Spain, food is at the very heart of it. Don’t miss out on trying seasonal treats such as Roscón de Reyes cake, turrón, polvorónes and so much more!

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TRAVEL NEWS

EES: Could the launch of Europe’s new border system be delayed again?

After being postponed several times already Europe's new biometric Entry/Exit border system (EES) is set to be rolled out in October, but with fears of lengthy queues, problems with a new app and demands for more time, could it be postponed again?

Published: 26 April 2024 11:50 CEST
EES: Could the launch of Europe's new border system be delayed again?

Could the entry into operation of the EU entry/exit system (EES), the new biometric passport checks for non-EU citizens at the Schengen area’s external borders, be delayed yet again?

Originally planned for May 2022, EES has already been postponed many times.

The current launch date, set for October 2024, was chosen to avoid periods of peak traffic and France in particular had requested to avoid it being launched until after the Paris Olympics this summer.

When asked to confirm the October start date this week a spokesperson for the EU’s Commission told The Local that the “roadmap” for the EES IT system foresees it will be ready for Autumn 2024. But the actual start date, in other words, the day when passengers will have to register, would be confirmed nearer the time.

The spokesperson said: “The exact date will be determined by the European Commission and announced on the EES official website well in time for the start of operations.”

READ ALSO: Your key questions answered about Europe’s new EES passport checks

But the reasons are adding up to suggest an October start date is optimistic, perhaps even unlikely.

In the annual report on the ‘State of Schengen’ published last week, the European Commission spelt out that severe challenges remain if member states are to be ready on time.

“In 2023, efforts to ensure the entry into operation of the Entry-Exit System in the autumn of 2024 were accelerated… While important progress has been made across the Schengen area, some Member States are still falling behind, notably regarding the effective equipment of border crossing points. The Commission calls on all Member States to urgently accelerate preparations to ensure the timely implementation of the system…”

A map in the report shows that preparation is still “in progress” in 13 Schengen area countries, including Germany, Norway and Switzerland. “Outstanding issues” still impact Portugal, Malta and Bulgaria.

The state of play for the preparations for EES across EU and Schengen states. Image: European Commission.

There are also reports that EU heavyweight Germany is trying to persuade Brussels to delay.

Matthias Monroy, editor of the German civil rights journal Bürgerrechte & Polizei/CILIP claimed on his website that “the German government is lobbying in Brussels to postpone the date once again, as otherwise the German tests of the EES cannot be completed in full. Other EU countries are also behind schedule, with only eight of them having reported successful integration.”

Even on a French government website it talks of EES being rolled out some time “between the end of 2024 and 2025” rather than stating October 2024.

And according to recent media reports, French airports have been advised to be ready for November 6th, rather than October. 

READ ALSO: EES and Etias – what are the big upcoming travel changes in Europe?

A planned EU app, believed to be essential to the smooth operation of EES because it would allow non-EU visitors to register in advance of travel will not be ready, Gwendoline Cazenave, Managing Director of Eurostar International, the company operating train services via the Channel Tunnel, has told the BBC. The EU however insists the app does not need to be up and running before EES is introduced.

In the UK, which will be heavily impacted by EES due to the fact it is no longer in the EU and so British travellers are no longer EU citizens, the House of Commons European scrutiny committee is conducting an inquiry on the potential disruption the introduction of the EES will cause at the border.

Several respondents have recently raised the alarm about the possible delays the system could cause, especially at the UK-France border, which is used by millions of passengers each year who head to France and other countries across Europe.

Ashford Borough Council in Kent has warned of the possibility of more than 14 hours queues to reach the Port of Dover, which has already been struggling increased checked after Brexit.

The BBC reported that back in March, a P&O Ferries director said the IT system should be delayed again.

Airlines have also complained about the fact pre-travel EES requirements would make last minute bookings impossible.

The Union des Aéroports Français (UAF), which represents airports in France, has simply said more time is needed.

In other words, it would be little surprise if the roll out was delayed again beyond October 2024.

But the Commission spokesperson told The Local that “the timeline for the entry into operation of the EES took into account all the necessary activities to be performed by all relevant stakeholders to ensure a timely entry into operation. 

“The Commission is working very closely with eu-Lisa [the EU agency in charge of the IT system], the Member States and carriers to ensure that everything is ready for the timely and successful launch of the Entry Exit System.

“The roadmap for the delivery of the new IT architecture foresees that the Entry/Exit system will be ready to enter into operation in Autumn 2024.”

New digital border

The EES is a digital system to register travellers from non-EU countries when they cross a border in or out of the Schengen area, the travel-free area. It will be deployed in 29 countries across Europe including 25 EU states plus Norway, Switzerland, Iceland and Liechtenstein. Ireland and Cyprus are the only EU members who won’t apply the EES system.

It doesn’t apply to non-EU nationals who are legally resident in an EU/Schengen area country or those with dual nationality of an EU /Schengen county. The system was designed to increase security and to ensure that non-EU nationals visiting the Schengen area short-term do not stay more than 90 days in any 180-day period.

Instead of having the passport stamped, travellers will have to scan it at self-service kiosks before crossing the border. However, fingerprints and a photo will have to be registered in front of a guard at the first crossing and there are huge concerns the extra time needed could generate long queues in the UK, where there are juxtaposed border checks with the EU.

Preparations are ongoing throughout Europe and some countries have made good progress.

In France, Getlink, the operator of the Channel Tunnel, has recently reported that new EES infrastructure is finished at its French terminal of Coquelles, which will allow travellers to register their biometric data while travelling.

Eurostar is also installing 49 kiosks in stations for the registration of passengers. But the Union des Aéroports Français (UAF), which represents airports in France, said more time is needed.

Exempted

Meanwhile, the Polish government has urged UK citizens who are beneficiaries of the EU-UK Withdrawal Agreement to get a residence permit “in the context of EES/ETIAS”, even though there was not such an obligation to stay legally in Poland post-Brexit.

“Having such a document is beneficial as it will exempt from future Entry/Exit System (EES) registration when crossing external borders and from the need to obtain an ETIAS travel permit in relation to short-term travel to EU/Schengen countries,” the government page says.

This article as published in collaboration with Europe Street news.

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