Sourcing ceramic butter dishes from China
Ceramic butter dishes from China under heading 6912 pay ordinary UK duty of 4% to 8%, plus anti-dumping duty with a residual rate of 36.10%. Confirm the applicable food contact requirements, including any written declaration and lead and cadmium migration evidence, with the relevant authority. Cambridge China Bridge sources ceramic butter dishes.
Duty on ceramic butter dishes
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 29 September 2026, heading 6912 covers ceramic tableware, kitchenware and other household or toilet articles, excluding porcelain or china. For butter dishes, the relevant tableware lines distinguish common pottery, stoneware, earthenware or fine pottery, and other ceramics. See stoneware dinnerware for the wider heading.
Ordinary duty for the selected Chinese-origin lines is 4% for common pottery and stoneware, 8% for earthenware or fine pottery, and 6% for other ceramics. Each selected line carries residual anti-dumping duty of 36.10%; check the supplier's company-specific rate before ordering. No suspension or countervailing duty is listed for these lines. Confirm the body material and commodity code before calculating landed cost.
The tariff attaches an import waste control, alongside export waste controls and a cultural-goods export licence measure. Waste shipment controls apply only when the material is waste. For goods arriving from China, ask your customs broker to confirm the import waste requirement for the actual consignment, particularly damaged goods or scrap. The export measures should also be checked if you later export the goods.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping or countervailing duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hand-made common pottery butter dishes | 6912 00 21 11 | 4% | 36.10% residual anti-dumping |
| Other common pottery butter dishes | 6912 00 21 91 | 4% | 36.10% residual anti-dumping |
| Stoneware butter dishes | 6912 00 23 10 | 4% | 36.10% residual anti-dumping |
| Earthenware or fine pottery butter dishes | 6912 00 25 10 | 8% | 36.10% residual anti-dumping |
| Butter dishes of other non-porcelain ceramics | 6912 00 29 10 | 6% | 36.10% residual anti-dumping |
Specify the tray, lid and glaze together
Specify the ceramic body, usable tray dimensions, clearance inside the lid, knob shape, glaze colour and finish, decoration position, and the unglazed foot. Approve the lid and tray as a complete set. State how much movement is acceptable when the lid sits on the tray and make sure the intended butter block fits without touching the cover.
Confirm the applicable lead and cadmium migration limits and any requirements for a written declaration of compliance and supporting test documentation with the relevant authority. Obtain the applicable documents before shipment. As a purchasing check, match the evidence to the actual body, glaze and decoration, including the tray and any lid surface that can touch butter. Agree sample checks for any dishwasher claim.
Specify separate cushioning for the lid and tray, protection around the knob, and carton dividers that stop ceramic surfaces rubbing together. Retain an approved packed sample as well as the unpacked set.
Worked duty example
Illustrative example, not a quote: 2,000 stoneware butter dishes with lids; illustrative order, not a quotation under 6912 00 23 10, invoiced at £7,000 free on board, with £600 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £7,600. Duty at 4% is £304. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £7,904, so it is £1,580.80. Import taxes total £1,884.80; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £304 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.
Inspection checklist
Fit: place lids on sampled trays, check rocking and clearance, and compare the usable space with the approved sample.
Glaze: inspect food-contact surfaces for crazing, pinholes, bare patches, sharp glaze runs and colour differences.
Documentation: match the declaration and supporting migration evidence to the supplied product and decoration.
Arrival: check knobs, rims and feet for chips, confirm cushioning remains in position, and record breakage by carton.
What goes wrong
A lid can fit the sample but rock on production trays after uneven firing shrinkage. A knob can break when packing presses against it, while an abrasive foot scratches the tray or table. Include these checks in quality inspection before dispatch and repeat them on arrival.
A different glaze or decoration can leave the supplied test evidence poorly matched to the delivered range. Keep the approved specification and evidence together, and ask for a review before accepting a material or finish change. An attractive glaze and an intact shipment do not establish food contact compliance.
Cambridge China Bridge sources these products for UK businesses, checking the factory and the documents before shipment. See factory verification.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UK import duty on ceramic butter dishes from China?
Under heading 6912, ordinary duty is 4% to 8% depending on ceramic body. The selected butter-dish lines also carry anti-dumping duty with a residual rate of 36.10%. Check the supplier's company-specific rate.
What food contact documents should I obtain?
Obtain a written declaration of compliance and supporting documentation for lead and cadmium migration. Check that the documents cover the actual butter dish, glaze and decoration supplied.
How do I check that the lid fits?
Check production lids on sampled trays for rocking, movement and internal clearance. Compare with the approved set and test the intended butter block inside.
How should ceramic butter dishes be packed?
Cushion the lid and tray separately, protect the knob and prevent ceramic surfaces touching. Check the packed sample, then inspect arrivals for chipped rims, broken knobs and displaced cushioning.