How to export baby food from the UK to China

Baby food and weaning foods: start with the factory

For general trade, the overseas manufacturer needs GACC registration under Decree 280. These foods appear to fall within special dietary foods, requiring a competent-authority recommendation and plant audit report alongside the manufacturer’s application. Confirm the product’s route in GACC’s registration system before preparing the application. Plan for months, not weeks: the Chinese authority decides whether to approve registration.

HMRC recorded £1.5m of UK goods exports to mainland China under HS 200510, 200710 in 2025 (2024: £327k, +364.5%). Exports to Hong Kong under the same codes were £1.2m. January to July 2026: £233k against £824k in the same months of 2025 (-71.7%).

HS 200510 covers homogenised vegetable preparations; HS 200710 covers homogenised fruit and nut preparations. The largest listed UK export line was 20071010, covering homogenised fruit preparations, at £1.5m of UK exports to mainland China under HS 200710 in 2025. These are tariff-code totals, which can include goods beyond baby food.

Price against the Chinese tariff lines

Both listed Chinese tariff lines have a 5% MFN rate. Import VAT is generally 13%, with 9% applying to specified goods including agricultural products; confirm the treatment of the finished preparation with the importer’s customs broker. VAT uses customs value plus duty plus any applicable consumption tax. The broker or adviser confirms whether consumption tax applies. Border taxes add to landed cost and shape the price the importer can offer.

Settle the label before printing

Imported food packaging and labels must meet Chinese law and national food safety standards. For special dietary foods, the Chinese label must be printed on the smallest sales package; stickers are not allowed. The registered manufacturer must also show its China registration number, or its home-authority-approved number, on the packaging.

The national standards list includes GB 10769-2025 for infant cereal-based complementary foods and GB 10770-2025 for infant canned complementary foods. Establish which standard applies to your formulation and format. GB 7718-2025 takes effect on 16 March 2027, so check artwork against both the current labelling rules and the forthcoming standard.

Prepare the UK shipment and Chinese declaration

For exports from England, Scotland or Wales, obtain a GB EORI and classify the goods using the correct UK commodity code. Prepare the export declaration with value, weight, packaging, destination, transport and invoice and packing list references. The overseas exporter or agent must file with GACC, and the food importer with local customs. The Chinese import declaration must contain the overseas manufacturer’s registration number; customs will not accept it if that field is completed incorrectly.

Consider cross-border retail separately

Chinese lines 20051000 and 20071000 appear on the cross-border e-commerce retail import list as homogenised vegetables not prepared with vinegar and cooked homogenised fruit foods. Listed goods imported through bonded 1210 or direct 9610 retail channels receive personal-use supervision, without first-import licence, registration or filing requirements, subject to the stated epidemic-area and emergency-risk exceptions.

This route serves individual consumers. Before ordering, they must accept a risk notice covering differences from Chinese standards, possible absence of a Chinese label and the prohibition on resale. The overseas business remains responsible for quality and safety and must appoint a mainland-registered company for customs registration, truthful declarations and shared civil liability.

Find and check a Chinese buyer

Our own staff in China find and check Chinese importers and distributors for UK brands. If an importer has already approached your brand, our staff in China check that company before stock is sent or anything is signed.

Through our export-to-China service, we prepare registration and label work with licensed partners in China. The importer of record and any required cross-border e-commerce agent remain with licensed partners in China, and the brand’s own filings stay the brand’s.