Sourcing aluminium cake tins from China
Aluminium cake tins from China carry 6% UK import duty across the relevant cast, foil and other kitchenware lines. Confirm the applicable food contact safety and migration requirements with the relevant food safety authority. Specify the alloy, coating, wall thickness and base fit before ordering. Cambridge China Bridge sources aluminium cake tins.
UK duty on aluminium cake tins
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 3 October 2026, heading 7615 covers aluminium table, kitchen and household articles, including cake tins. The relevant cast, foil and other kitchenware lines carry 6% duty on goods from China. The supplied tariff record lists no anti-dumping or countervailing duty, suspensions or attached import controls for these lines.
Classification depends on construction. Cast tins, thin foil containers and pressed tins use different lines; fixed and removable bases can share the other kitchenware code. Confirm your commodity code against the actual product. See aluminium bakery sheet pans for related bakeware within the wider heading.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping or countervailing duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cast aluminium cake tins | 7615 10 10 90 | 6% | None |
| Aluminium foil cake containers, foil thickness not exceeding 0.2 mm | 7615 10 30 00 | 6% | None |
| Pressed aluminium cake tins with fixed bases | 7615 10 80 90 | 6% | None |
Specify the tin, base and food contact surface
Specify the aluminium alloy, internal dimensions, depth, wall and base thickness, corner shape and rim finish. State whether the base is fixed or removable, and agree how closely a removable base should fit. Approve a sample with the intended batter and baking process before accepting the design.
Food contact rules cover materials and articles expected to touch food or transfer constituents to it. Confirm the applicable safety and migration requirements for cake tins with the relevant food safety authority. For coated tins, ask for the coating supplier, its declaration of compliance and migration reports for the finished tin. Match the evidence to intended baking conditions and retain documents with each batch. See food contact documentation.
Worked duty example
Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 2,000 pressed aluminium cake tins under 7615 10 80 90, invoiced at £7,000 free on board, with £600 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £7,600. Duty at 6% is £456. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £8,056, so it is £1,611.20. Import taxes total £2,067.20; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £456 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.
Inspection checklist
Dimensions: measure internal size, depth and thickness against the approved drawing; check that removable bases fit without rocking or excessive gaps.
Surface: check rims for burrs, interiors for scratches and coatings for bare patches, blistering or peeling; compare the finish with the approved sample.
Baking: bake with the intended recipe, check release and leakage, and assess base flatness after repeated heating and cooling.
Packing: unpack nested tins and check for dents, rubbing damage and trapped bases; agree protective separation before shipment. Use the quality inspection guide to plan batch checks.
What goes wrong
Thin bases can distort, removable bases can leak batter, and poorly finished rims can catch cleaning cloths. Nested tins can arrive dented or scratched when the packing allows metal surfaces to rub. Record acceptable fit, flatness and finish against the approved sample.
A coating change can undermine both baking performance and the relevance of existing food contact reports. Require written notice of changes to the alloy, coating supplier or surface preparation, then review the evidence and test replacement samples before accepting production.
Cambridge China Bridge sources these products for UK businesses, checking the factory and the documents before shipment. See factory verification.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UK import duty on aluminium cake tins from China?
The relevant cast, foil and other aluminium kitchenware lines carry 6% duty. The supplied tariff record lists no anti-dumping or countervailing duty, suspensions or attached import controls.
What food contact documents should I ask for?
Ask for the alloy details and migration reports. For coated tins, request the coating supplier and its declaration of compliance, with reports for the finished tin matched to the intended baking conditions.
How do I check removable-base cake tins?
Measure the base and opening, check seating and rocking, then bake with the intended batter to assess leakage, release and distortion after cooling.
How can I reduce damage to nested cake tins?
Agree protective separation and carton packing using an approved packed sample. Unpack arrival samples and inspect rims, bases and coatings for dents and rubbing damage.