Sourcing aloe vera extract from China

Aloe vera extract duty and import controls

Heading 1302 covers vegetable saps and extracts alongside pectin and plant thickeners. Aloe vera extract is a candidate for the other vegetable extracts line, 1302 19 70 00. The table shows forms sharing that line, rather than separate tariff subdivisions. Mixtures sold as supplements or flavourings may classify elsewhere. Confirm the commodity code using the composition and processing details.

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 30 September 2026, the relevant line carries 0% duty for goods from China. The supplied record shows no anti-dumping or countervailing measure and no suspension. For other products within the heading, see the plant extracts, pectin and agar guide.

The tariff attaches organic-product import control and CITES and Home Office controlled-drug import and export controls to this broad line. Have your customs broker confirm the requirements for the exact Chinese shipment. For organic food extract, ask the exporter’s control body for the inspection certificate it issues. CITES guidance requires permits for listed species; controlled-drug licensing applies if the composition contains controlled drugs or precursor chemicals. These flags alone do not establish an aloe-specific licence requirement.

Specify the leaf part and extract composition

Name the botanical species and distinguish inner-leaf material from whole-leaf extract. Record whether the material is decolourised, the extraction solvent, liquid or powder form, solids content and any carrier or preservative. Define the assay method for the stated strength and agree batch acceptance criteria for aloin, aloe-emodin, identity and microbiology. Ask for results rather than a general purity claim.

For food use, ask the relevant food authority to confirm the novel-food status of the exact extract and production process, and whether authorisation is needed. Do not treat a supplier’s food-grade description as proof of that status. If disease-treatment or prevention claims are proposed, ask MHRA to confirm whether medicine rules apply, and review the wider heading guide.

Official discussion of hydroxyanthracene derivatives identifies gaps in evidence about human safety. For an oral-use project, ask a suitable specialist to assess the proposed extract and its analytical results. For cosmetic formulation, agree compatibility trials covering colour, odour, solubility and preservation. Arrange testing support around the intended use.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative pilot order of aloe vera extract powder for a small manufacturer under 1302 19 70 00, invoiced at £16,000 free on board, with £900 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £16,900. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £16,900, so it is £3,380. With no duty, the only import tax is the VAT, which a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Identity: match the botanical name, leaf part, processing description and declared carriers to the purchase specification and batch analysis.

Composition: verify the agreed marker assay, aloin and aloe-emodin results, extraction-solvent residues and contaminant tests against the same batch.

Condition: check powder for moisture, caking and uneven colour; check liquid for leakage, separation and unexpected odour. Compare a retained sample with the approved material.

Traceability: reconcile container labels, batch references, analysis reports and shipping documents. Check storage instructions and isolate damaged or mismatched containers.

What goes wrong

A concentration claim can conceal added carrier or a different basis of calculation. Whole-leaf and inner-leaf material can also be supplied under the same commercial description. A general certificate may omit aloin or refer to a different batch. Make the analytical method and sample identity part of acceptance, then trial the material in your actual formulation.

A matching tariff code does not settle food-use status or the attached controls. Ask the broker to resolve the botanical identity and declaration documents before dispatch. If the extract differs from the approved sample, hold it for investigation rather than blending it into production.

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.