How to export processed meat from the UK to China

Start with the manufacturer’s approval route

Processed meat, bacon and sausages need a product and plant eligibility check before general trade. Our reading puts these goods under meat and meat products; confirm in GACC’s registration system. Under GACC Decree 280, the manufacturer applies itself or through an agent and obtains its home competent authority’s recommendation, audit report and letter. The Chinese authority decides: allow months, not weeks. The manufacturer must prepare its application for the plant audit; meat registrations are not renewed automatically.

UK exports under HS 1601-1602 (11 subheadings): HMRC recorded £219k of UK goods exports to mainland China under 11 HS6 subheadings in 2025 (2024: £85k, +158.8%). Exports to Hong Kong under the same codes were £678k. January to July 2026: £0 against £31k in the same months of 2025 (-100%).

Under HS 160232, the largest UK export line was 16023290, prepared or preserved chicken meat or offal, at £188k. This is the export total for that code, rather than sales of a particular product or brand. Use it to discuss the importer’s intended product range, without treating it as evidence that your own plant or recipe is eligible.

Price against the Chinese tariff lines

The listed Chinese tariff lines all have a 5% MFN rate. Import VAT has a standard rate of 13%, with 9% for listed goods including agricultural products. The importer’s customs adviser confirms the applicable VAT treatment and whether consumption tax applies to these meats. VAT uses the customs value plus duty plus consumption tax as its base. These border charges add to landed cost and shape the price an importer can offer.

Prepare the meat standard and packaging review

The national food safety standards list includes GB 2726-2016 for cooked meat products and GB 2730-2015 for cured meat products. Give the importer and licensed preparation partner the recipe, processing method and storage specification so they can identify which standard applies to your meat. Do this before approving packaging artwork.

For general trade, imported prepackaged meat needs a compliant Chinese label naming its origin and the domestic agent’s name, address and contact details. A registered manufacturer must put its China registration number, or its home authority’s approved number, on the packaging. The overseas manufacturer’s registration number must also be entered correctly on the import declaration; customs does not accept declarations completed otherwise.

Resolve the UK export and certificate route

Classify the actual preparation before selecting a UK commodity code; the Chinese tariff lines are a separate classification exercise. Exporters from England, Wales and Scotland need an EORI number starting GB. Decide who will prepare the export declaration and give that party the product description and shipment information. UK export guidance places animals and animal products among goods requiring checks for special rules, licences or certificates. For the reverse trade route, see our guide to sourcing fully cooked chicken skewers. For chicken meatballs on the reverse route, see sourcing fully cooked chicken meatballs.

The GOV.UK China health-certificate listing has no certificate for these products. Ask APHA to confirm the access and health-certificate route for the specific meat and processing method before arranging shipment. The overseas exporter or agent must file with GACC, and the food importer must file with its local customs office. Where entry quarantine approval is required, the importer must obtain the permit before signing the trade contract. For the reverse trade, see our guide to sourcing canned pork trotters. For pâté on the reverse route, see our chicken liver pâté sourcing guide.

Check the limited bonded retail option

The cross-border retail list includes 16010030, 16021000, 16022000, 16023299, 16024910 and 16024990, all restricted to online bonded imports. Its remarks exclude wildlife-catalogue goods unless the specified certificate confirming a non-catalogue species can be supplied. Line 16010030 covers food made with sausages; do not treat every sausage as listed. Match the actual preparation and the remark before selecting this route.

Eligible retail imports receive personal-use supervision, with first-import licensing, registration and filing requirements disapplied, subject to epidemic-area suspensions and emergency risk action. Consumers must accept the risk notice and cannot resell the goods. The overseas seller must appoint a mainland-registered company for customs registration, truthful declaration and shared civil liability.

Find and check an importer before committing stock

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. For these meats, discuss its proposed tariff line, intended channel, plant-registration checks and quarantine-permit arrangements before agreeing shipment terms.

For this category, we help only with preparation, finding and checking a Chinese importer, and coordinating licensed partners. We prepare registration and label work with licensed partners in China. The importer of record and any required cross-border e-commerce agent stay with licensed partners in China, and the brand’s own filings stay the brand’s. See our export preparation and importer checks.