Sourcing canned anchovies from China
Canned anchovies from China carry 25% UK duty on the supplied anchovy line, with no listed trade remedy or suspension. Imports into Great Britain need a health certificate; confirm establishment approval, advance notification and border-check requirements with your customs broker before shipment. Cambridge China Bridge sources canned anchovies.
Canned anchovies: 25% duty
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 30 September 2026, heading 1604 covers prepared or preserved fish, caviar and caviar substitutes. The supplied anchovy line, 1604 16 00 90, covers other prepared anchovies, whole or in pieces but not minced. It carries 25% duty for goods from China, with no listed anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no suspension. The table shows buying formats sharing this code, rather than separate tariff lines.
The tariff attaches veterinary, illegal-fishing and organic import controls. For Great Britain, prepared fish needs a health certificate. Have your customs broker confirm establishment approval, advance notification, border control post checks and the Common Health Entry Document requirement. Fish imports also require certification showing when the fish was caught and that the vessel acted legally; confirm the applicable catch documents before shipment.
For an organic proposal, confirm the certificate of inspection and business certification arrangements with your organic control body and customs broker before ordering. The exporter’s control body issues the certificate of inspection. Confirm the commodity code using the species, preparation and whether the fish is whole, in pieces or minced. See the canned sardines guide for wider heading context.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping or countervailing duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canned whole anchovies, not minced | 1604 16 00 90 | 25% | None |
Specify the fish, oil and preservation process
Specify the anchovy species, whole fish or fillets, skin and bone removal, piece size, salt level and packing medium. Name the oil rather than accepting an unspecified vegetable-oil blend. Agree acceptable broken pieces, colour, texture and flavour against a retained sample.
Ask whether the product is heat-processed for ambient storage or salt-cured with chilled storage instructions. Agree the process, supporting shelf-life evidence and storage conditions before buying. Specify net weight, the agreed method for measuring fish content, tin coating, opening method, seam acceptance criteria and carton protection. Use factory verification to check the proposed producer.
Worked duty example
Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative stock order of canned anchovy fillets for a small food wholesaler under 1604 16 00 90, invoiced at £30,000 free on board, with £4,000 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £34,000. Duty at 25% is £8,500. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £42,500, so it is £8,500. Import taxes total £17,000; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £8,500 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step. This assumes the goods are standard-rated for VAT. Most food for human consumption is zero-rated, and animal feed can be too, in which case no import VAT is due, so check the rate for your product in HMRC's VAT Notice 701/14.
Inspection checklist
Documents: match the plant approval, health certificate, catch documentation and batch records to the actual shipment.
Tin integrity: inspect seams, leakage, swelling, rust and dents near the seam; isolate suspect tins for investigation.
Contents: weigh sampled contents against the specification, check oil identity and fish condition, and arrange histamine and relevant contaminant testing with a food laboratory.
Labels: check the species, packing medium, ingredients, allergens, net weight, storage instructions and UK address. Check drained weight where solid food is presented in a qualifying liquid medium. Review batch markings and artwork before printing.
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What goes wrong
An oil-packed tin is treated as proof that the contents can be stored at room temperature, although the supplier’s preservation process calls for refrigeration. Establish the process and storage conditions before agreeing transport. Excessive salt, broken fillets, substituted oil and short fish content also cause disputes when the specification is vague.
Poor seams allow leakage, while swollen tins and damaged seam areas need investigation before stock is released. Missing approval or mismatched certificates can hold up the shipment. Retain samples and batch records, check arrival condition and use the quality inspection guide to plan checks.
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.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UK import duty on canned anchovies from China?
The supplied anchovy line, 1604 16 00 90, carries 25% duty, with no listed anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no suspension.
Do canned anchovies need a health certificate?
Yes. Prepared fish imported into Great Britain needs a health certificate. Confirm establishment approval, advance notification, border control post checks and shipment-document requirements with your customs broker before dispatch.
Can canned anchovies be stored at room temperature?
Confirm the preservation process and supported storage instructions. Agree whether the product is intended for ambient or chilled storage; the tin alone does not establish the storage conditions.
What should I check when canned anchovies arrive?
Check seams, swelling, leakage, rust, batch markings, weights, fish condition and packing medium. Match the shipment to its documents and investigate suspect tins before releasing stock.