How to export deodorants from the UK to China
UK deodorants can enter China through ordinary cosmetics filing before import, with a mainland responsible person, or through eligible cross-border retail channels. Check the product’s claims, tariff line and label before agreeing a price. Cambridge China Bridge’s own staff in China find and check Chinese importers and distributors for UK brands.
Choose the route for deodorants and body care
Deodorants and body care are a starting category for China, but ordinary cosmetics still need filing before general-trade import. HS 330720 covers personal deodorants and antiperspirants; HS 330790 covers depilatories and other perfumery, toilet or cosmetic preparations, n.e.s. Eligible cross-border retail offers another route. Agree the route with the Chinese buyer before preparing stock.
HMRC recorded £3.6m of UK goods exports to mainland China under HS 330720, 330790 in 2025 (2024: £2.4m, +51.8%). Exports to Hong Kong under the same codes were £1.1m. January to July 2026: £4.0m against £2.1m in the same months of 2025 (+94.1%).
The largest UK export line to mainland China under HS 330720/330790 was 33079000, Depilatories and other perfumery, toilet or cosmetic preparations, n.e.s., at £3.0m in 2025. This is the whole tariff-line total, including preparations beyond deodorants; it is not a measure of deodorant sales alone.
Prepare the filing and Chinese label
Imported ordinary cosmetics must be filed with NMPA before import. An overseas filer must designate a mainland legal-person company to handle filing, assist with adverse-reaction monitoring and carry out product recalls. Review claims first: sun protection, spot removal and whitening, and new efficacy claims fall within special cosmetics. Plan registration or filing work in months, not weeks; the Chinese authority decides the regulatory outcome.
Imported cosmetics may use a directly printed Chinese label or an added Chinese sticker matching the original label’s content. Give the responsible person the original artwork and proposed Chinese version together. The importer must check registration or filing and compliance with mandatory national standards and technical specifications, and must refuse import if that check fails.
Build duty and VAT into the buyer’s price
Chinese tariff lines 33072000 and 33079000 have an MFN rate of 3%. Import VAT is 13% under the standard rule and is calculated on customs value plus customs duty plus any applicable consumption tax. These charges add to landed cost and shape the price your importer can offer. The importer’s customs broker or adviser confirms whether consumption tax applies to the product.
| Chinese tariff line | Rate |
|---|---|
| 33072000 | 3% |
| 33079000 | 3% |
Get the UK export paperwork ready
Confirm the correct commodity code for each preparation rather than putting the entire range under one line. Exports from England, Scotland or Wales need a GB EORI number and an online export declaration. Prepare the value, weight, packaging, destination, transport details, and invoice and packing-list references for the declarant. Give the carrier the invoice and any required export licences or certificates.
Use cross-border retail for personal-use orders
The cross-border e-commerce retail import list includes 33072000 for personal deodorants and antiperspirants and 33079000 for depilatories and other specified preparations. Under bonded 1210 or direct 9610 retail imports, listed goods are supervised as personal-use articles without first-import licensing, registration or filing requirements, subject to suspended epidemic-area goods and emergency risk handling.
The overseas seller retains primary product quality and safety responsibility and must appoint a mainland-registered company for customs registration, truthful declarations and shared civil liability. Consumers must accept a risk notice before ordering; the goods are for personal use and cannot be resold. The limits are RMB 5,000 per transaction and RMB 26,000 annually per person.
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Find and check the Chinese trading partner
Choose a partner whose intended route fits the product: general-trade distribution needs the cosmetics checks above, while cross-border retail goods cannot become resale stock. Our own staff in China find and check Chinese importers and distributors for UK brands. If an importer has already approached you, our staff check that company before stock is sent or anything is signed. Use our export-to-China service.
We prepare registration and label work with licensed partners in China. The importer of record and, where required, the responsible person or cross-border e-commerce agent remain regulated roles with licensed partners in China; the brand’s own filings remain the brand’s. We check with those licensed partners.
Frequently asked questions
Do UK deodorants need NMPA registration?
Imported ordinary cosmetics need NMPA filing before general-trade import, with a mainland responsible person. Review the claims: special cosmetics include sun protection, whitening and new efficacy claims.
What is China’s import duty on deodorants?
Chinese tariff lines 33072000 and 33079000 each have a 3% MFN rate. Standard import VAT is 13%. The importer’s customs broker or adviser confirms whether consumption tax applies to your product.
Can I sell UK deodorants through cross-border e-commerce?
Both 33072000 and 33079000 are on the retail import list. Eligible 1210 or 9610 imports use personal-use supervision without first-import filing requirements, subject to the stated exceptions. The goods cannot be resold.
Can I add a Chinese sticker to a deodorant pack?
Yes. Imported cosmetics may carry an added Chinese label, but its content must match the original label. Prepare both versions together for the filing and importer’s compliance review.