Sourcing canned peas from China

Canned peas: 18% duty

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 30 September 2026, canned peas under 2005 40 00 00 carried 18% duty for goods from China. Heading 2005 covers vegetables prepared or preserved otherwise than by vinegar or acetic acid, not frozen. No anti-dumping or countervailing duty or suspension is listed for the peas line. The table shows product variants sharing that line.

The tariff attaches Veterinary control and Import control of organic products. Official guidance says fruit and vegetables do not normally need a health certificate; ask your customs broker to confirm how the veterinary flag applies to the exact recipe. For organic peas from China entering Great Britain, obtain a certificate of inspection for each consignment and check the exporter’s control body and country against the non-UK organic registers.

Confirm the pea species, recipe and preservation method before declaring the commodity code. Vegetable mixtures need a separate classification check. For the wider heading, see the canned baby corn guide. These food-control notes concern Great Britain.

Specify the peas, brine and can

Agree whether the peas are tender green peas or a softer mature-pea product. Specify size consistency, colour, acceptable split peas and skins, texture after reheating, salt and sugar additions, net and drained weights, can format and opening method. Approve a sample prepared using your intended kitchen method.

Ask for the factory’s validated heat-process records and batch incubation results. Agree the can lining, seam checks, storage conditions and remaining shelf life at delivery. Labels for peas in liquid must show drained net weight; also check ingredients, best before date and the UK food business address against the approved artwork.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 20 tonnes of canned peas in brine under 2005 40 00 00, invoiced at £16,000 free on board, with £2,500 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £18,500. Duty at 18% is £3,330. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £21,830, so it is £4,366. Import taxes total £7,696; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £3,330 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

Fill and texture: drain and weigh sample cans, compare the peas with the approved sample, and check split skins, colour and texture after reheating.

Can condition: examine seams, leaks, swelling, rust and dents affecting the seam; inspect the internal lining on opened samples.

Process evidence: match heat-process and incubation records to the delivered batch, and arrange laboratory checks for tin and product stability.

Labels and cartons: compare printed ingredients, drained weight, dates and batch marks with the approved documents. Check carton protection and pallet condition using the quality inspection guide.

What goes wrong

A can can look full while delivering too few peas after draining. Overcooking gives soft peas and loose skins; uneven raw material gives mixed texture and colour. Poor processing or damaged seams can lead to swollen or leaking cans. Hold suspect stock aside for assessment rather than accepting it through a taste check.

Recipe changes can undermine the approved label or classification. A vegetable mixture should not be declared automatically as plain peas, and an organic claim needs its own import paperwork. Review the actual batch documents before dispatch and repeat physical checks on arrival.

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.