Return Trip List: What I Always Bring Back from the U.K.
A specific list of crowd-pleasers for friends, family (or myself) - no Big Ben magnets involved.
I’m about to move to France, and while I’m excited for what's next, I’ve already started thinking about what I’ll pack on every return trip to the U.K. From quick visits to longer stays, I know exactly which shelves I’ll head to first, and what I’ll be stuffing into my suitcase - for friends, family, and very much myself.
It’s not about souvenirs. It’s the specific, often small, very British bits that are harder to find (or just not the same) once you’re abroad. Crisps in flavors no one else stocks. A Jellycat shaped like toast. A Liberty mug. A scone wrapped in Tupperware.
Here’s what I’ll be bringing back - the go-tos I already know I’ll miss.
I did a version of this list for the US, and loved hearing what everyone else brings back from there too!
🛒 The Food Run
The most important stop, the one everyone (me) gets most excited about.
Tesco / Sainsbury’s / Waitrose - the essentials stop:
McVitie’s biscuits: Hobnobs or limited-edition Digestives (caramel, dark, white choc).
Cadbury chocolate: Mini Eggs, seasonal bars, or just a solid bar of Dairy Milk.
Tyrells crisps: bold flavors like Prawn Cocktail or Roast Chicken & Sage.
Jaffa Cakes: a divisive classic.
M&S - the sweet stop:
Percy Pigs - the fizzy ones, always.
Shortbread tins - the cute illustrated ones, not the tartan souvenir kind.
Fortnum & Mason or Whittard - the tea stop:
Tea tins - jasmine, English rose, or a solid breakfast blend.
The local deli stop:
Small-batch jams, chutneys, crackers, hot sauces
Try delis like Stokey’s Delicatessen or The Passage Pantry for pre-made mini hampers or seasonal edits.
The local coffee shop stop:
Scones - I always grab a few from De Beauvoir Deli the day before I travel. Packed in a tupperware, they hold up beautifully. Nothing like unpacking a proper scone overseas.
Coffee beans - soo many good beans in the UK - try Ozone, Monmouth or Hermanos.
Pretty tea towels - cafés often stock really cute ones.
What I skip: Union Jack biscuit tins, Marmite (unless requested by some weirdo), anything from the WHSmith shortbread section at the airport (you can do better, and you know it).
💅 The Beauty Run
Usually I’ll hit a Boots and other more local shops to stock on a few favorites.
Boots finds:
Boots No7 masks.
Rimmel nail polishes.
Bougie finds:
Cowshed gift sets.
Earl of East candles.
Neal’s Yard Remedies body.
Penhaligons perfumes - heritage but still cool.
What I skip: soap shaped like Big Ben, bath bombs the size of a scone, or anything that smells like “British Rose” and burns your nose.
📚 The Culture Run
Works as the souvenir run too.
British editions of familiar authors - better covers, better paper.
Bookmarks - they always carry great selections.
Children’s books - Oi Frog!, The Tiger Who Came to Tea, or Beatrix Potter.
Choosing Keeping / Present & Correct:
Notebooks, pencils, desk things - stylish and useful.
Postcards or mini prints - flat, pretty, packable.
Museums:
Exhibition catalogues, postcards, or posters - literally my whole home decor.
A pin or patch or other accessory - love the ones from Fashion Textile Museum.
Ray Stitch / local haberdasheries:
Fabric - fabric or fat quarters.
Sewing patterns - always on the hunt for a good Merchant & Mills pattern.
Buttons, zips, notions - oddly satisfying to gift.
What I skip: novelty Shakespeare quills, “Keep Calm and Drink Tea” mugs, fake vintage signs that say “Mind the Gap.”
🌸 The Liberty Run
There’s just something that feels distinctly London about Liberty (without going overboard).
Tea mugs - Emma Bridgewater always and forever.
Print squares - fabric bundles or pre-cut squares (perfect as a head scarf / foulard, bag accessory).
Stationery or wrapping paper - Liberty prints on cards, notebooks, or their signature wrapping paper = small, beautiful gifts.
What I skip: anything too branded. Liberty does a good job of avoiding the cheesy stuff, but steer clear of anything that looks like “souvenir” snuck its way in.
👖 The Fashion Run
A few fashion stops I already know I’ll miss - all are shops I’ve struggled to find versions of abroad.
Arket – my go-to for clean, timeless basics. Especially good in the summer: linen trousers, boxy shirts, and neutral tank tops.
TOAST - yes, it can be a splurge. But the fabrics, colours, and shapes are hard to beat. Elevated but unfussy. If I lived inside a palette, it would probably be this one.
Hush / Damson Madder - not always my first stop, but I’ve found some great accessories and one-off pieces here.
Whistles / Jigsaw - solid if I need something a bit more formal or polished.
M&S - listen… their multi-pack knickers are genuinely elite.
Local charity shops! My best finds over the past few years have come from these. It takes a bit of patience (and location luck), but the right shop at the right moment? Magic.
What I skip: most fast fashion high street chains (Primark, etc.) - I’ve learned the hard way that if I only wear it once, it’s probably not worth the space in my suitcase.
⚽️ The Sporty Spice Run
Less for me, but a great run if in need of a gift for the ones who own a lot of jerseys and have Opinions.
Club merch - scarves, pins, mugs, or tees from official stadium shops (my family is very biased to the Arsenal one - they have a well-curated old-school section).
Retro gear - from the likes of Classic Football Shirts. I’ve also found vintage playing cards, postcards, match booklets at various flea markets around London like Hackney Flea Market.
Football mags - When Saturday Comes is niche but loved.
What I skip: market-stall football scarves that scream fake, knockoff England shirts, or Union Jack sweatbands (they exist, and they are haunting).
🧸 The Kids (or Kids at Heart) Run
Something soft, silly, and charming for the young ones.
Jellycat plush toys - the weirder, the better.
London LEGO sets - the one proper London memorabilia I’ll allow. Tower Bridge, double-decker bus, or Harry Potter sets.
Coloring books - The Natural History Museum or British Museum have great ones.
What I skip: royal baby merch, plastic toy guardsmen, or anything with “London” printed in Comic Sans over the skyline.
That’s the list (for now)!
These are the things I already know I’ll be reaching for on every return trip. The bits I’ll miss, the ones people ask for, and the ones that just make a suitcase feel like mine.
I’m sure it’ll shift once I’m settled in France - maybe I’ll swap out Percy Pigs for something new, or start hoarding Tyrells like a contraband item. But for now, this is what I’ll be bringing back.
If you’ve moved away from the U.K., I’d love to know: what do you always pack on your way out? What do people request? What do you stockpile?
Tell me - I’m making space in my carry-on.
xx Anna
Marmite— “weird”?! Them’s fightin’ words!🤺🤠🤣
why would one skip the Big Ben shaped soap though?! 🤪🤪
love this! i always ask my british friends to bring me crumpets from M&S to be eaten right way i get them 😍
good luck with the move my boo