Sourcing bottle filling machines from China

Duty on bottle filling machines

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 16 October 2026, bottle filling machinery under 8422 30 00 00 carried 0% duty from China. The supplied data records no anti-dumping or countervailing duty, suspension or attached import control for the selected lines.

Heading 8422 also covers bottle cleaning, closing, sealing, labelling and other packaging machinery. The table includes related equipment and parts, rather than alternative codes for the same filler. See the wider heading guide. For pallet packaging, see our pallet wrapper sourcing guide.

Confirm the commodity code against the machine's function and condition when imported, especially for combined lines and separately shipped parts.

Match the filler to the liquid and bottle

Specify the liquid's viscosity, foaming behaviour, particles and filling temperature. Send the factory your bottles and closures, including the smallest and largest formats you intend to run. Agree the filling method, acceptable fill variation, output with your product, nozzle shut-off and changeover procedure.

For food or drink, confirm the applicable food-contact safety and cleanability requirements with the relevant authority. Identify the product-contact metals, hoses, seals and valves, and agree how they are dismantled, drained and cleaned. Check supply connections, conveyor interfaces and access for maintenance.

Confirm the applicable machinery conformity assessment, technical file, English instruction and guarding requirements with the relevant authority. CE marking remains recognised in Great Britain. Ask for documents identifying the exact machine and configuration, alongside evidence supporting the conformity assessment.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: A bottle filling line for a small producer, illustrative only under 8422 30 00 00, invoiced at £75,000 free on board, with £5,000 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £80,000. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £80,000, so it is £16,000. 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

Filling: run your liquid and bottles at the agreed output; measure fill variation, dripping, foaming and product loss during starts and stops.

Bottle handling: check guides, conveyors and change parts for jams, tipping, scuffing and reliable transfer to the closing machine.

Cleaning: inspect contact surfaces, hose routes and seals; demonstrate dismantling, drainage and reassembly, then check for leaks.

Safety and documents: test every guard interlock and emergency stop; match the machine identification to its conformity documents and English manual.

What goes wrong

A water demonstration can hide poor performance with viscous or foaming products. Incorrect nozzles can drip onto bottle necks, while unsuitable guides cause jams during changeovers. Require a factory acceptance run using your product, bottles and closures, with the results recorded before shipment.

Seals can swell in the intended liquid or cleaning chemicals, and inaccessible pipework can retain product. Agree replacement seals, nozzle parts and bottle change parts before ordering. Repeat the agreed acceptance checks on arrival and after installation.

Cambridge China Bridge sources these products for UK businesses, checking the factory and the documents before shipment. See factory verification. For machinery and equipment, see machinery imports.