Sourcing aluminium beer kegs from China

UK duty on aluminium beer kegs

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 1 October 2026, heading 7612 covers aluminium containers of a capacity not exceeding 300 litres, whether lined or heat-insulated, without mechanical or thermal equipment, for materials other than compressed or liquefied gas. The table shows keg variants under the same commodity line, rather than separate tariff subdivisions. See the aluminium industrial drums guide for the wider heading.

The relevant line, 7612 90 80 00, carries 6% duty for goods from China. The supplied tariff record lists no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no suspension. It attaches an import control of fluorinated greenhouse gases. The importer should confirm the requirement for the actual keg with their customs broker; the record alone does not establish which declaration applies to an empty beer keg.

Give your broker the material, capacity, drawings, fittings and intended contents to confirm the commodity code. This guide concerns empty kegs; ask for a separate assessment if importing them filled. Ask your customs broker to confirm whether heading 7612 falls within the aluminium scope described in our UK carbon border adjustment guide and whether the rules apply from 1 January 2027.

Specify the keg, spear and cleaning method

Specify the alloy, usable capacity, wall thickness, neck dimensions, spear assembly, coupler interface, seals, handles and stacking rings. State whether the keg will be reused and agree the filling, dispensing and cleaning conditions. Ask for a sample that can be trialled on your brewery's actual equipment.

Food-contact materials must be demonstrably safe for their intended application. Request evidence covering the metal, internal coating, seals and other beer-contact parts. Ask for migration reports matched to beer storage and, for reusable kegs, the proposed cleaning conditions. Use testing and certification support to agree the evidence before production.

The pressure equipment regulations cover equipment with a maximum allowable pressure above 0.5 bar, subject to exclusions. Applicable requirements must be met before pressure equipment is placed on the Great Britain market. Ask a competent adviser to confirm the keg's classification and required compliance documents. Agree rated pressure, temperature limits, pressure-test records and safe spear removal instructions with the manufacturer.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative brewery order: 300 empty reusable aluminium beer kegs under 7612 90 80 00, invoiced at £30,000 free on board, with £3,000 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £33,000. Duty at 6% is £1,980. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £34,980, so it is £6,996. Import taxes total £8,976; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £1,980 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Body and handling: compare dimensions and wall thickness with the approved drawing; inspect seams, necks, handles and stacking rings for cracks, dents, sharp edges and distortion.

Spear and coupler: trial the supplied assembly with your dispensing connector; check engagement, sealing, valve operation and the agreed method of safe removal.

Interior and cleaning: inspect accessible internal surfaces for debris, coating damage and residues; trial the agreed cleaning process and check drainage, seals and coating condition afterwards.

Tests and records: match material, food-contact and pressure-test records to the delivered model and batch. Have trained personnel conduct agreed leak and functional checks. Record arrival damage and discrepancies through quality inspection.

What goes wrong

A keg can look correct while its neck or valve does not fit the buyer's coupler. Seals may leak after cleaning, damaged coatings can expose the metal to beer, and distorted stacking rings can make loaded stacks unstable. Agree measurable acceptance criteria and trial the approved sample through filling, storage, dispensing and cleaning.

Reports for a different keg or coating do not resolve the buyer's questions about the delivered design. Hold unresolved batches apart while checking the evidence and the fault. For repeat orders, agree spare seals and spear assemblies, cleaning instructions and approval of material or coating changes.

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.