Sourcing aluminium ROPP caps from China

UK duty on aluminium roll-on caps

Heading 8309 covers base-metal stoppers, caps, lids and other packing accessories. Aluminium roll-on pilfer-proof bottle caps fall within the other metal closures line, 8309 90 90 90. The table shows the relevant line only; crown corks, bottle capsules and can ends are different products.

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 1 October 2026, the supplied tariff record shows 0% duty for goods from China on this line, with no anti-dumping or countervailing duty, suspension or attached import control. Import VAT is separate from customs duty.

Confirm the commodity code using the cap construction and intended function before shipment. See the bottle caps and closures guide for the wider heading.

Specify the bottle finish, liner and tamper band

Give the factory the bottle-finish drawing and actual bottles. Specify cap diameter and height, aluminium thickness, liner material, internal lacquer, tamper-band design, colour and artwork. Agree the filled product, filling temperature and storage conditions so the liner and coating evidence matches the intended use.

Trial production-equivalent caps on your own capping line. Agree the rolling settings, seal performance, opening torque and how the tamper band should separate. Keep approved capped bottles and loose caps as comparison samples.

Food packers must use packaging suitable for food use. Closures and liners for food and drink are food-contact materials; confirm with the relevant authority whether regulation 10/2011 applies to the plastic liner supplied. Ask for the liner declaration of compliance and migration tests matched to your contents and filling conditions, plus evidence for the internal lacquer.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 100,000 aluminium roll-on pilfer-proof bottle caps under 8309 90 90 90, invoiced at £2,500 free on board, with £810 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £3,310. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £3,310, so it is £662. 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

Fit: compare cap dimensions with the approved drawing and check sampled caps on the intended bottles using the agreed capping settings.

Seal: check filled bottles for leakage after the agreed processing and storage trials, and measure opening torque against the approved range.

Tamper band: check it survives application and separates as agreed when the bottle is opened, without loose metal fragments.

Finish and liner: check liner position, lacquer coverage, dents, burrs and print against approved samples; match supplied food-contact evidence to the delivered materials. See quality inspection.

What goes wrong

A cap can look correct loose but leak after rolling onto the bottle. Bottle-finish mismatch, unsuitable line settings or an uneven liner can spoil the seal. Tamper bridges may break during application or remain intact on opening. Trial the complete bottle-and-cap combination before approving production.

A changed liner or lacquer can make earlier migration evidence irrelevant to the delivered cap. Record the approved materials and ask the supplier to flag changes before production. Dented skirts and damaged print also need arrival checks, even when the pre-shipment samples passed.

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.