Sourcing caffeine and alkaloids from China
Caffeine and other alkaloids from China, including quinine, theophylline, nicotine and ephedrine, pay 0% UK duty on all 24 lines of heading 2939, with no anti-dumping duty. Drinks and foods with added caffeine need the caffeine warning, ephedrine and pseudoephedrine are Category 1 drug precursors, and controlled drugs need a Home Office licence for each shipment.
Caffeine, quinine salts, nicotine and other alkaloids from China pay 0% UK duty. Caffeine labelling, precursor and controlled drug licences explained.
0% duty
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 27 September 2026, heading 2939 covers alkaloids, natural or reproduced by synthesis, and their salts, ethers, esters and other derivatives. All 24 leaves carried 0% on goods from China, with no anti-dumping measure, no registration and no suspension. The table shows selected lines.
Plant extracts that are not isolated alkaloids are heading 1302 (see our plant extracts guide); confirm the commodity code.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alkaloids of cinchona (such as quinine) and their salts | 2939 20 00 00 | 0% | None |
| Caffeine and its salts | 2939 30 00 00 | 0% | None |
| Ephedrine and its salts | 2939 41 00 00 | 0% | None |
| Pseudoephedrine and its salts | 2939 42 00 00 | 0% | None |
| Other theophylline and aminophylline derivatives | 2939 59 00 00 | 0% | None |
| Nicotine and its salts and derivatives | 2939 79 10 00 | 0% | None |
| Other alkaloids of vegetal origin | 2939 79 90 90 | 0% | None |
| Other alkaloids | 2939 80 00 00 | 0% | None |
Caffeine labelling
Annex III to the retained Food Information Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 requires beverages with more than 150 mg/l of caffeine, other than coffee and tea drinks named as such, to carry 'High caffeine content. Not recommended for children or pregnant or breast-feeding women', with the caffeine content in mg per 100 ml. Foods with caffeine added for a physiological purpose carry 'Contains caffeine. Not recommended for children or pregnant women', and food supplements give the content per recommended daily portion.
Precursors and controlled drugs
The Annex to Regulation (EC) No 111/2005 lists ephedrine, pseudoephedrine, norephedrine, ergometrine, ergotamine, lysergic acid and four chloroephedrine and chloropseudoephedrine isomers as Category 1 scheduled substances. GOV.UK says a company importing controlled drugs or precursor chemicals needs a Home Office licence; controlled drug import licences are single-use for each shipment and valid for 3 months.
Opium alkaloids, cocaine and metamfetamine in this heading are controlled drugs under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. Nicotine for e-liquids also falls under the vaping rules (see our vapes guide).
Specifying caffeine and alkaloids
Specify the substance and salt, grade (food, pharmaceutical or technical), the pharmacopoeia monograph the certificate is issued against, assay, loss on drying, residue on ignition, heavy metals, residual solvents, particle size, and packing in lined fibre drums.
Worked duty example
Take a hypothetical order of 1,000 kg of anhydrous caffeine in 25 kg drums, entered under 2939 30 00 00: £12,000 free on board plus £800 of freight and insurance gives a customs value of £12,800. Caffeine carry no duty, so import VAT of 20% on £12,800, £2,560, is the only tax. A VAT-registered importer normally reclaims it, so the border adds no lasting cost. Step by step: UK import duty and VAT.
Inspection checklist
Documents: check the certificate of analysis for the batch, the grade and the manufacturer's name against the label.
Analysis: verify assay and impurities on a retained sample in an independent laboratory.
Packing: check drum seals, lot numbers, gross and net weights and hazard labels.
What goes wrong
Alkaloid orders fail on grade and paperwork. A technical grade is shipped against a food grade order, the certificate comes from a trader rather than the maker, and licensed substances arrive without a licence.
Test samples before shipping. See our quality inspection guide.
Cambridge China Bridge sources caffeine and alkaloids for UK drinks, supplement and pharmaceutical buyers, checking the manufacturer first. See factory verification.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UK import duty on caffeine from China?
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 27 September 2026, caffeine under 2939 30 00 00 carried 0% from China, as did all 24 lines of 2939.
When does a drink need a high caffeine warning?
Above 150 mg/l of caffeine, unless it is a coffee or tea drink named as such.
Can I import pseudoephedrine freely?
No. It is a Category 1 drug precursor, and GOV.UK says importers need a Home Office licence.
Is caffeine a controlled drug?
No. Caffeine is not a controlled drug, but food labelling rules apply.