Sourcing canned crab meat from China

8% duty on the supplied canned-crab line

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 4 November 2026, heading 1605 covers prepared or preserved crustaceans, molluscs and other aquatic invertebrates. The supplied airtight-can crab line covers Cancer pagurus and carries 8% duty for goods from China, with no listed anti-dumping or countervailing duty or suspension.

The tariff attaches veterinary, illegal-fishing and organic import controls. Prepared shellfish requires an approved establishment; confirm health certificate, advance-notification and border control post check requirements with your customs broker. Ask your customs broker to confirm the catch documentation for the crab's harvesting and processing route, and the organic requirements before making an organic claim.

Confirm the commodity code from the species, preparation and container. The supplied facts contain only one canned-crab line, so the table cannot show other species or distinct canned-crab codes. See the wider prepared-shellfish guide for other products within the heading.

Specify the crab meat and preservation method

Write the crab species into the specification, alongside white or brown meat, claw meat, lump or flake grade, permitted shell fragments, packing medium, net weight and drained weight. Use an agreed sample to define colour, flavour and the proportion of intact pieces.

Distinguish shelf-stable heat-processed cans from pasteurised crab requiring chilled storage. Agree the preservation process, storage instructions, remaining shelf life on arrival, can lining, opening method and carton protection. Ask for processing records and batch test reports before approving production.

Check the exporting country and establishment's approval for fishery products before ordering. Review the English label for ingredients, emphasised crustacean allergens, weights, storage instructions, date marking and the UK food-business address.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 10 tonnes of Cancer pagurus crab meat in airtight cans under 1605 10 00 11, invoiced at £70,000 free on board, with £4,000 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £74,000. Duty at 8% is £5,920. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £79,920, so it is £15,984. Import taxes total £21,904; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £5,920 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

Cans: inspect for swelling, leakage, rust and damage around seams; ask for seam measurements and process records.

Contents: open sampled cans and compare meat grade, colour, flavour and shell fragments with the approved sample.

Weight: measure net and drained weight using the agreed draining method; compare results with the specification and label.

Batch evidence: match can and carton markings to processing records, test reports and shipping documents. Use the quality inspection guide to prepare the inspection brief.

What goes wrong

A sample full of intact meat can become a shipment dominated by flakes. Excess packing liquid can conceal a shortfall in drained meat, while rough handling damages seams. Record these acceptance points before production and inspect packed stock before dispatch.

Treating every can as shelf-stable can lead to unsuitable transport or storage for pasteurised crab. Border problems also arise when establishment approval or certificates do not match the shipment. Resolve the storage method and document checks before loading.

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.