Sourcing aloe vera drinks from China

8% duty on non-dairy aloe drinks

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 30 September 2026, heading 2202 covers sweetened or flavoured waters and other non-alcoholic beverages, excluding juices of heading 2009. The table covers non-dairy aloe drinks; classification depends on the actual recipe, including whether the drink is flavoured water or diluted juice.

The selected lines carry 8% duty for goods from China, with no anti-dumping or countervailing measures recorded. Under 2202 99 19 19, a 0% suspension is restricted to the specified flavoured drink containing 25% nata de coco in 320 mL bottles. Do not assume an aloe drink qualifies. Organic import controls are attached: organic drinks from China need a Great Britain certificate of inspection for each consignment, and the exporter’s control body and export country must be checked against the non-UK organic registers.

Give your broker the full formulation and confirm the commodity code. Adding milk changes the classification assessment; the tariff attaches veterinary control to milk-fat lines, so confirm the applicable requirement with your broker before ordering. See the wider soft drinks guide. Soft drinks attract 20% import VAT; see duty and VAT.

Specify the aloe ingredient and pulp

Ask for the botanical identity, plant part used, and whether the ingredient is inner-leaf gel, whole-leaf extract or reconstituted material. Agree aloe content, pulp size and texture, sweetness, flavour, acidity, bottle and closure, storage conditions and remaining shelf life on arrival. Request the processing description and batch analysis, including an agreed testing plan for aloin and related compounds.

The government's interim position says the policy group will assess whether to restrict foods containing hydroxyanthracene derivatives in Great Britain. Treat this as a reason to review the exact extract and safety evidence, rather than accepting a generic aloe certificate. Confirm with the relevant food authority the authorisation status of colours, sweeteners and preservatives for use in Great Britain, and the applicable food information and allergen labelling requirements.

Check the Soft Drinks Industry Levy separately from customs duty. Confirm with HMRC whether the added-sugar drink falls within it, using the full recipe and total sugar content. Agree the recipe and obtain a sugar analysis before approving the label.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 2,000 cases of 24 × 330 ml non-dairy sweetened aloe drinks under 2202 99 19 19, invoiced at £16,000 free on board, with £2,500 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £18,500. Duty at 8% is £1,480. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £19,980, so it is £3,996. Import taxes total £5,476; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £1,480 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Ingredient: match the aloe raw material, processing records and batch analysis to the approved formulation; check pulp identity and texture against the sample.

Laboratory: check sugar, acidity and microbiological results against the agreed specification, alongside the extract-specific safety testing plan.

Labels: compare ingredients, nutrition information, allergen emphasis, net quantity and date marking with the approved artwork and batch records.

Packing: inspect cap seals, leaks, swollen bottles, fill levels and carton damage; compare pulp distribution and colour with retained samples. Use the inspection guide to define the inspection brief.

What goes wrong

A formulation change can replace the approved gel with a different extract or change the balance of aloe pulp and nata de coco. Sweetness and pulp texture then differ from the sample, while the ingredient list or duty assumption may still describe the old recipe. Require approval of ingredient substitutions before production.

Other problems to check for are leaking caps, fermentation, discolouration and pulp settling that does not reverse as agreed. Inspect arrival stock against retained samples and the agreed storage conditions. A visual inspection cannot establish extract safety or validate shelf life.

Cambridge China Bridge sources these products for UK businesses, checking the factory and the documents before shipment. See factory verification. For repeat volumes, see container programmes.