How to export crisps from the UK to China
UK crisps can use the manufacturer application route, subject to confirmation in GACC’s registration system. Ordinary imports need manufacturer registration and compliant Chinese labels; the listed Chinese tariff lines carry 5% MFN duty. Cambridge China Bridge’s own staff in China find and check Chinese importers and distributors for UK brands.
Start with the factory and the product route
For ordinary imports of crisps and savoury snacks, manufacturer registration is required. Confirm the product in GACC’s registration system before using the manufacturer application route under GACC Decree 280. The manufacturer applies itself or through an agent. The food safety MoU effective on 29 January 2026 established the cooperation mechanism required for simplified batch registration of UK food manufacturers; confirm the factory’s available route with GACC before applying. Allow months, not weeks for approvals; the Chinese authority decides.
HMRC recorded £571k of UK goods exports to mainland China under HS 200520, 200811, 200819 in 2025 (2024: £366k, +55.9%). Exports to Hong Kong under the same codes were £1.6m. January to July 2026: £190k against £97k in the same months of 2025 (+96.8%).
The largest UK export line to China was 20052020, potatoes in thin slices cooked in fat or oil, at £490k. These are HS-code totals. The overseas exporter or agent must file with GACC, and the Chinese food importer must file with its local customs office.
Price around the Chinese tariff line
The listed Chinese tariff lines have a 5% MFN rate. Import VAT is generally 13%, with 9% for listed goods including agricultural products. The importer’s customs broker confirms the applicable VAT rate and whether consumption tax applies to these snacks. Import VAT uses the customs value plus duty plus consumption tax as its base. These border taxes add to landed cost and shape the price the importer can offer.
| Chinese tariff line | MFN rate |
|---|---|
| 20052000 | 5% |
| 20081110 | 5% |
| 20081120 | 5% |
| 20081130 | 5% |
| 20081190 | 5% |
| 20081910 | 5% |
| 20081920 | 5% |
| 20081991 | 5% |
| 20081992 | 5% |
| 20081999 | 5% |
Agree the Chinese pack before production
Ordinary imports of prepackaged snacks need a compliant Chinese label naming the origin and the domestic agent’s name, address and contact details. Packaging must show the manufacturer’s China registration number or its home authority’s approved number. GB 17401-2014 covers puffed foods; confirm whether it applies to the particular snack with the importer’s customs broker. Review the recipe and label artwork together rather than assuming every crisp or nut product follows the same standard.
Prepare the UK shipment by product
Classify each snack before exporting: HS 200520 covers prepared potatoes, 200811 prepared groundnuts and 200819 prepared nuts and other seeds. Exports from England, Wales or Scotland need a GB EORI number. The online export declaration needs the commodity code, value, weight, packaging, destination, transport and invoice and packing list references. Give the carrier the invoice and any required export licences or certificates.
Check whether retail cross-border sales fit
The cross-border retail import list includes 20052000, but only for online bonded goods. It also includes 20081110, 20081120, 20081130, 20081190 and 20081910. Do not extend that coverage to every nut line in the tariff table. Match the actual product and route before planning a retail launch.
Eligible retail imports are supervised as personal-use goods, with first-import licence, registration and filing requirements disapplied subject to the stated risk exceptions. The overseas business must appoint a mainland-registered company for customs registration and truthful declarations, sharing civil liability. Consumers must accept a risk notice; goods may lack a Chinese label, with a Chinese electronic label available online, and cannot be resold.
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Find an importer who can assess the actual pack
Give prospective importers the recipe, pack format, proposed Chinese label and manufacturer registration details. Establish whether they intend ordinary distribution or eligible cross-border retail sales: the potato line’s bonded-only remark and the narrower nut listing affect that choice. Agree the product classification and landed-cost assumptions before negotiating a supply price.
Our own staff in China find and check Chinese importers and distributors for UK brands, including checking a company that has already approached you before stock is sent or anything is signed. We prepare registration and label work with licensed partners in China. The importer of record and any required cross-border agent remain licensed partners’ roles; your own filings remain yours. See our export service.
Frequently asked questions
Do UK crisp manufacturers need GACC registration?
Yes, for ordinary food imports. Confirm the snack’s category in GACC’s registration system before using the manufacturer application route. The UK batch registration route is also open.
What is China’s import duty on crisps?
Chinese tariff line 20052000 has a 5% MFN rate. The listed prepared-groundnut and other-nut lines also carry 5%. VAT adds to landed cost; the importer’s customs broker confirms its application.
Can I sell UK crisps through cross-border e-commerce?
The list includes 20052000 only for online bonded goods. Eligible retail purchases are for personal use and cannot be resold. Confirm the product and operating route before supplying stock.
Which Chinese food standard covers puffed snacks?
GB 17401-2014 covers puffed foods. Check its applicability to the actual snack alongside the Chinese label review; do not assume it covers every prepared potato or nut product.
Sources
- HMRC Overseas Trade Statistics
- China Customs Tariff 2026
- GACC Decree 280
- DBT UK food registration barrier record
- GACC Decree 249
- China Food Safety Law
- NHC food safety standards list
- GOV.UK exporting goods guide
- GOV.UK export declaration guide
- Cross-border retail import list 2019
- Cross-border retail import notice 486