How to export edible oils from the UK to China
To export edible oils to China, confirm the tariff line and GACC registration route, obtain the competent-authority recommendation and prepare compliant packaging. Duty and import VAT affect the buyer’s landed cost. Cambridge China Bridge’s own staff in China find and check Chinese importers and distributors for UK brands.
Edible oils and fats: choose the route for your product
For ordinary food imports, the overseas manufacturer needs GACC registration. Edible oils fall within the competent-authority recommendation route; confirm the exact product scope in GACC’s registration system. Establish the oil’s source, processing and intended food use before agreeing a Chinese classification or quoting a buyer.
HMRC recorded £2.5m of UK goods exports to mainland China under 37 HS6 subheadings in 2025 (2024: £2.1m, +22.6%). Exports to Hong Kong under the same codes were £564k. January to July 2026: £896k against £1.7m in the same months of 2025 (-46.7%). These are UK exports under HS 1507-1517 (37 subheadings).
The largest listed UK export line was 15159099, covering solid fixed vegetable fats and oils and their fractions, at £1.9m. That is a tariff-line total, not sales of your particular edible oil. Use the buyer’s intended retail or ingredient application to assess the opportunity.
Prepare the manufacturer’s registration
Under GACC Decree 280, the manufacturer applies itself or through an agent and also obtains its country’s competent-authority recommendation, supported by a plant audit report and recommendation letter. Plan for approvals to take months, not weeks; the Chinese authority decides. Confirm the UK recommendation arrangements before preparing the application.
Registration lasts five years. The approved China registration number, or the number approved by the home authority, must appear on the food packaging. The overseas manufacturer’s registration number must also be entered correctly on the Chinese customs declaration; customs will not accept a declaration completed otherwise.
Price against the exact Chinese tariff line
The selected lines below show why one duty rate cannot cover every oil or fat. The listed MFN rates differ for refined soya-bean oil, sesame oil, processed fats and margarine. Even palm oil under HS 151190 has separate Chinese lines: 15119010 and 15119090 carry 9%, while 15119020 carries 8%.
Edible vegetable oil is named in the VAT Law’s 9% list; do not extend that rate automatically to every animal fat or preparation. Import VAT uses the customs value plus duty plus any applicable consumption tax as its base. The importer’s customs broker confirms the VAT treatment and whether consumption tax applies. These charges increase landed cost and shape the price the buyer can offer.
| Chinese tariff line | Rate |
|---|---|
| 15079000 | 9% |
| 15092000 | 10% |
| 15119020 | 8% |
| 15141900 | 9% |
| 15151900 | 15% |
| 15155000 | 12% |
| 15159090 | 20% |
| 15161000 | 5% |
| 15162000 | 25% |
| 15171000 | 30% |
Align the label, oil standard and UK export paperwork
Imported prepackaged oil needs a compliant Chinese label stating its place of origin and the domestic agent’s name, address and contact details. Review that artwork alongside the manufacturer’s packaging registration number. GB 2716-2018 is the national food safety standard for vegetable oils; have the importer confirm its application to your formulation and the relevant product requirements.
For exports from England, Wales or Scotland, classify the goods and obtain a GB EORI number. The export declaration needs the commodity code, value, weight, packaging, destination, transport and invoice and packing-list references. Agree who prepares the declaration and give the carrier the invoice and any applicable export licences or certificates.
Check whether cross-border retail fits the oil
The cross-border e-commerce retail import list covers only part of this range. Matched Chinese lines are 15079000, 15081000, 15089000, 15092000, 15093000 and 15094000. Confirm the exact listed description before choosing this channel; a listing for refined soya-bean oil or virgin olive oil does not cover every oil in your range.
Listed goods entering through bonded 1210 or direct 9610 retail channels are supervised as personal-use articles, with first-import licence, registration and filing requirements not applied, subject to suspension and emergency-risk exceptions. The overseas business must appoint a mainland-registered company for the prescribed customs role and shared civil liability. Consumers must accept the risk notice, including possible absence of a Chinese label and the prohibition on resale.
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Find and check a Chinese buyer before committing stock
Assess an importer against the oil you actually sell: its proposed channel, handling of the Chinese tariff classification, label review and manufacturer registration details. If a Chinese importer has already approached your brand, 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. The importer of record and any required cross-border e-commerce agent remain licensed partners in China; the brand’s own filings remain the brand’s. We check the work with those partners. See our export-to-China service. Our own staff in China find and check Chinese importers and distributors for UK brands.
Frequently asked questions
Does my edible-oil factory need GACC registration?
For ordinary food imports, yes. Edible oils use the competent-authority recommendation route, with an audit report and recommendation letter. Confirm your product’s scope in GACC’s registration system.
What duty applies to UK edible oils in China?
It depends on the Chinese tariff line. Examples include 9% for 15079000, 10% for 15092000 and 12% for 15155000. Confirm the classification before quoting a landed price.
Is Chinese import VAT 9% for every fat and oil?
Edible vegetable oil is expressly in the 9% list. That does not settle the treatment of every animal fat or preparation. Have the importer’s customs broker confirm the treatment of your product.
Can I sell olive oil through cross-border e-commerce?
Chinese lines 15092000, 15093000 and 15094000 are listed. Confirm the exact description and channel arrangements. Cross-border retail goods are for personal use and may not be resold.