How to export bottled water from the UK to China

Which route applies to your water?

Bottled and mineral water falls under HS 220110/220190. Manufacturer registration is required for ordinary imports. The manufacturer-application route applies, subject to confirmation in GACC’s registration system. The largest UK export line was 22011011, natural mineral waters without added sugar or other sweetening matter, at £747k in 2025.

HMRC recorded £1.1m of UK goods exports to mainland China under HS 220110, 220190 in 2025 (2024: £1.4m, -15.8%). Exports to Hong Kong under the same codes were £1.1m. January to July 2026: £375k against £780k in the same months of 2025 (-51.9%).

Register the manufacturer and choose the sales channel

Under GACC Decree 280, overseas food manufacturers must register with GACC. For this water category, the manufacturer applies itself or through an agent after confirming the product category in GACC’s registration system. Plan for approvals to take months, not weeks; the Chinese authority decides. Registration lasts five years.

The UK-China food safety MoU took effect on 29 January 2026, opening the cooperation mechanism for simplified batch registration. Confirm how your manufacturer can use that route. Put the China registration number, or the number approved by the home authority, on the packaging; the overseas manufacturer’s registration number must also appear in the import declaration.

The water tariff lines below are on the cross-border retail import list. Bonded 1210 and direct 9610 imports receive personal-use treatment, with the specified first-import licence, registration and filing requirements disapplied, subject to risk exceptions. Consumers must accept a risk notice covering differences from Chinese standards, possible absence of Chinese labels and personal use without resale. The overseas business must appoint a mainland-registered company for customs registration, truthful declarations and shared civil liability.

Price around Chinese duty and import VAT

Each of these Chinese tariff lines has a 5% MFN rate. Settle the exact classification before quoting: mineral water and other water have separate lines. Import VAT has a standard rate of 13%, subject to reduced-rate and special rules. Your importer’s customs adviser confirms the applicable VAT treatment and whether consumption tax applies to the water. Border taxes increase landed cost and shape the price an importer can offer.

Match the water standard and prepare Chinese artwork

Use the water’s identity to select the standard for review: GB 19298-2014 covers packaged drinking water, while GB 8537-2018 covers drinking natural mineral water. Have the importer’s technical partner check the product against the relevant standard before finalising the Chinese artwork.

For ordinary prepackaged-food imports, the Chinese label must include origin and the domestic agent’s name, address and contact details. Non-compliant Chinese labels prevent import. Check artwork against current requirements and GB 7718-2025, which takes effect on 16 March 2027, before committing to a packaging run.

Prepare the UK export declaration

For exports from England, Scotland or Wales, arrange the online export declaration with the correct commodity code and an EORI number. Give the declarant the water’s value, weight, packaging, destination, transport details, and invoice and packing-list references. The carrier needs the invoice and any applicable export licences or certificates; establish the shipment’s document requirements with the importer before dispatch.

Find and check a Chinese importer

Ask prospective importers how they will classify the water, review the Chinese artwork and manage customs declarations. Compare their landed-cost assumptions before agreeing a supply price. Our own staff in China find and check Chinese importers and distributors for UK brands. If an importer has already approached you, our staff in China check that company before stock is sent or anything is signed.

We prepare registration and label work with licensed partners in China and check requirements with those partners. The importer of record and any required cross-border e-commerce agent remain licensed partners’ regulated roles; your own filings remain yours. Use our export support service to discuss the water and the intended sales channel.