Sourcing branded pint glasses from China
Branded drinking glasses from China carry a flat 10% UK duty across the relevant lines. Pint and half-pint glasses used to measure and sell drinks need accurate measurement and the relevant conformity markings. Specify glass treatment and approve the finished decoration. Cambridge China Bridge sources branded pint glasses.
UK duty on branded drinking glasses
Heading 7013 covers table, kitchen and similar glassware, including drinking glasses. Nonic and tulip shapes, pint and half-pint sizes, glass treatment, manufacturing method and decoration inform classification. See drinking glasses from China for the wider product family.
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 29 September 2026, the relevant Chinese-origin drinking-glass lines carried a flat 10% duty. The supplied tariff record lists no anti-dumping or countervailing duties and no suspensions. Confirm the commodity code with your customs broker using the finished sample, glass composition, toughening evidence and decoration method.
The tariff attaches cat and dog fur import and export controls and a cultural-object export licence entry. Imports and exports of cat and dog fur and products made from it are banned, including goods from China. Check any unusual fur additions. For the attached cultural-object export entry, confirm the requirement with your customs broker before any onward export.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping or countervailing duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Toughened drinking glasses, other than lead crystal | 7013 37 10 00 | 10% | None |
| Mechanically gathered, decorated drinking glasses, not toughened or lead crystal | 7013 37 91 00 | 10% | None |
| Hand-gathered, decorated drinking glasses, not toughened or lead crystal | 7013 37 51 00 | 10% | None |
| Other mechanically gathered drinking glasses, not toughened or lead crystal | 7013 37 99 00 | 10% | None |
Specify the pub glass and the finished branding
Specify pint or half-pint, nonic shape with its bulge or tulip shape with its curved bowl, rim profile, base, stacking fit and glasswasher rack fit. State toughened or annealed glass explicitly. Ask the factory to identify the treatment used and provide supporting evidence for any toughness claim.
Choose screen print, etch or decal, then approve a finished production sample. Record artwork, colour, position and the decoration area near the drinking rim. Trial the sample in your own glasswasher and compare appearance, adhesion and surface feel afterwards.
Glasses used to measure and sell drinks are capacity serving measures: they must measure accurately and carry the relevant conformity markings. In Great Britain, CE or UKCA routes are available, with the supplementary metrology marking still required. The importer must check the manufacturer's conformity assessment. Request the declaration of conformity and agree whether capacity is measured to the brim or a fill line.
Food-contact materials must be safe and suitable for their intended use. Ask a laboratory to assess evidence for the finished glass and decoration under the proposed drink-contact and washing conditions. Keep reports matched to the approved sample; see food-contact evidence.
For a small pub group, ask separately about minimums for the stock glass shape and each artwork or decoration run. Explore a shared glass body across venues and agree how cartons are divided. Use small-order sourcing and retailer sourcing support to prepare the enquiry.
Worked duty example
Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order of 500 branded toughened pint glasses for a small pub group under 7013 37 10 00, invoiced at £2,400 free on board, with £500 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £2,900. Duty at 10% is £290. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £3,190, so it is £638. Import taxes total £928; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £290 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.
Inspection checklist
Glass: check rims for chips and sharp edges, bases for rocking, walls for visible defects, and the supplied treatment against the order.
Capacity and documents: compare brim or fill-line capacity with the approved specification; check conformity markings and the declaration against the supplied model.
Decoration: compare artwork position and colour with the approved sample; check rubbing, washing damage and rough decoration near the rim.
Packing: open cartons on arrival, check dividers and glass-to-glass contact, record breakage, and check venue allocation and quantities.
What goes wrong
A photograph hides an uncomfortable rim, a rocking base or a glass that jams when stacked. Annealed glass may arrive where toughened glass was ordered, while decoration can fade or lift in the venue's glasswasher. Keep a signed finished sample and agree acceptance checks before production.
A printed pint label does not establish measurement conformity. A report for undecorated glass also leaves the finished decoration unassessed. Small pub groups can accumulate unwanted stock when each venue chooses a different glass and artwork; agree the shared body, decoration split and carton allocation before accepting factory minimums.
Cambridge China Bridge sources these products for UK businesses, checking the factory and the documents before shipment. See factory verification. For own-brand ranges, see sourcing for brands.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UK import duty on branded pint glasses from China?
The relevant drinking-glass lines carry 10% duty in the supplied tariff record. No anti-dumping or countervailing duties or suspensions are listed.
Do branded pint glasses need capacity markings?
Pint and half-pint glasses used to measure and sell drinks must measure accurately and carry the relevant conformity markings. Agree the measuring use before approving artwork.
Should I order toughened or annealed pub glasses?
Specify the treatment explicitly and ask for evidence supporting toughness claims. Trial finished samples for handling, stacking and washing in your venues before choosing.
Can a small pub group order its own branded glasses?
Ask about stock glass bodies and separate decoration minimums. A shared shape across venues may help; confirm artwork splits and carton allocation with the factory.