Sourcing canned oysters from China

20% duty, but Chinese oysters cannot enter GB

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 30 September 2026, heading 1605 covers prepared or preserved crustaceans, molluscs and other aquatic invertebrates. The oyster line, 1605 51 00 00, carries 20% duty for goods from China, with no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no suspension. The table illustrates packing styles within this single oyster line.

Processed bivalve molluscs for human consumption may enter Great Britain only from listed approved countries. Confirm China’s current approval status for the proposed product with the relevant import authority before shipment. Veterinary and organic import controls are attached to the tariff line. For eligible shellfish supplies, ask the relevant import authority and your customs broker to confirm establishment approval, health certification, advance notification, border control post checks and any common health entry document requirement. These checks do not replace confirmation of country eligibility.

For organic proposals, confirm inspection-certificate and certification arrangements with your organic control body and customs broker. The inspection certificate is issued by the exporter's control body in the exporting country. Confirm the commodity code from the species, complete recipe and preservation method. See the canned mussels guide for the wider heading. The worked order is illustrative arithmetic only and does not authorise shipment.

Specify the oysters, packing medium and tin

Check import eligibility before approving production. For an eligible supply from an approved origin, specify oyster species, harvest origin, whole or broken meat, size grade, smoking method and packing medium. Agree net and drained weights, saltiness, texture and acceptable shell fragments against a retained sample.

Specify tin shape, opening method, internal coating, seam acceptance criteria and carton protection. Request heat-processing records, commercial-sterility evidence and support for the proposed shelf life. Agree batch markings, storage instructions before and after opening, and label artwork. Confirm with the relevant food authority how mollusc allergens should be emphasised and whether solid oysters in the proposed liquid medium need a declared drained weight.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative wholesale consignment of canned oysters in brine; calculation only, not an authorised China import under 1605 51 00 00, 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 20% is £6,800. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £40,800, so it is £8,160. Import taxes total £14,960; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £6,800 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

Eligibility and records: verify oyster origin and match the product, establishment approval, health documents and batch records before releasing an eligible shipment.

Tin integrity: inspect seams, swelling, leakage, rust and dents near the seam. Isolate suspect tins for investigation.

Contents and weight: drain and weigh sampled contents against the agreed method; compare oyster size, broken pieces, grit, shell fragments and texture with the retained sample.

Labels: check the food name, ingredients, emphasised mollusc allergens, net quantity, applicable drained weight, date mark, storage instructions and food business name and UK address.

What goes wrong

A supplier quotes the correct oyster tariff code and assumes paying duty makes the shipment admissible. It does not establish import eligibility: confirm China’s current approval status for the proposed processed bivalve mollusc product with the relevant import authority. Establish eligibility before ordering tins, printing labels or booking freight.

For eligible supplies, disputes arise over broken oyster meat, excessive packing liquid, gritty contents and damaged seams. Agree the draining method and retained sample before production. Investigate swollen or leaking tins before releasing stock. Use the quality inspection guide to define the inspection brief.

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.