Religious Travelers - Hechsher Symbols in England

Anyone out there know what specific hechsher symbols I should be looking for in England? I assume the UK has OU, OK, Kof-k, Star-k, etc. but I'd like to be able to identify if an item is kosher if it isn't marked with a symbol that I'm used to seeing. Thank you.

www.askmoses.com

These might help:
http://www.kosher.org.uk/
http://www.sephardikashrut.org/
http://www.mbd.org.uk/

You should also know that many things in the UK are considered kosher even if they do not have a specific hekhsher on them, because they have been investigated by reliable rabbinic authorities. See the following regarding some bread, for example, at the bottom of the page:

http://www.sephardikashrut.org/products%20approved.htm

You can buy the official London Beth Din "list" of products here:
http://www.kosher.org.uk/purchase.htm

The London Beth Din's website will also link to this (which I think is a searchable database of the contents of the book I mentioned above):

http://www.theus.org.uk/jewish_living/keeping_kosher/keeping_kosher/kosher_product_search

We've got four kashrut authorities in London (LBD, Kedassia, SKA, Federation), plus two in Manchester (MBD, Machzike Hadass) and Gateshead.

LBD has probably the most extensive "coverage".
You can check under http://www.kosher.org.uk/intro.htm

Be careful--some products that have reliable hechsher in the US are NOT kosher in UK. Like pringles, philadelphia cream cheese etc.

Compared to US, we're more stringent on baked goods (bread, bagels, biscuits). Aside from some items exported widely and has OU as a result (like some shortbread and prince charles organic biscuits), and Kingsmill bread certified by SKA, you have to go to jewish stores to buy kosher baked items.

On the other hand, there are LOTS of products that do not have hechsher but ingredients/process are checked by kashruth organisation. For example, Walker's crisps (aka potato chips) in salt, salt & vinegar are kosher (not cheese & onion), ditto for most of Cadbury chocolate bars.

Any particular products you're looking for?

Actually the biggest in the UK is the Badatz Igud Rabbonim. They have the largest shechita in the EU and have the most retail products on the market under hechsher.

http://www.badatz.org

http://www.koshercertification.org.uk

Anyone out there know what specific hechsher symbols I should be looking for in England? I assume the UK has OU, OK, Kof-k, Star-k, etc. but I'd like to be able to identify if an item is kosher if it isn't marked with a symbol that I'm used to seeing. Thank you.

http://www.kosherquest.org/ Should be able to get lots of info here. Rabbi Eidlitz is the man!

I spend a month in London every year. It is always a battle. Fortunately we found a family that we can stay in touch with.

You can download a year or two old PDF of the guide, it serves as a good starting point.

Looking for symbols is very difficult there. I always feel like a spoiled American when I try to use that as my method there.

I try to stick to the big two when shopping: Golders Green or when up north stocking up in Manchester. Also pending on the length of your stay, I always buy a cooler for over night trips.

darimore, true Badatz may be the biggest hechsher certifier in Europe, but LBD has a wider coverage as it does check ingredients and process without issuing actual hechsherim.

If you check LBD website and look for a food item under product search, you'll get many items that is kosher but does not bear LBD logo. (eg most--but not all--of Cadbury chocolates, or Walkers ready salted crisps). You'll be surprised so many items are covered.

Thumper, don't use a list that's a couple of years old as the certification status has much shorter lifestyle. Even the annual published guide can be outdated so we usually get an email alert. Oh, and please let me know the next time you'll be in London. We can defiitely have you over for shabbat.