Sourcing ceramic pet bowls from China
Ceramic pet bowls from China carry 4% to 8% UK duty across the candidate household-article lines shown here. Confirm the clay body and classification before ordering. Consumer products supplied in Great Britain must be safe; check rims, glaze, stability and packing. Cambridge China Bridge sources ceramic pet bowls.
Duty and classification for pet bowls
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 29 September 2026, heading 6912 covers ceramic tableware, kitchenware, other household articles and toilet articles other than porcelain or china. The table shows candidate household-article lines for pet bowls, rather than a binding classification. Confirm the body material and intended use through our commodity code guide. See stoneware dinnerware for the wider heading.
For goods from China, the selected common pottery and stoneware lines carry 4%, earthenware or fine pottery 8%, and other ceramics 6%. These lines show no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no suspension. Some tableware and kitchenware lines elsewhere in the heading carry residual anti-dumping duty of 36.10%; do not assume the same treatment for every ceramic bowl.
The tariff attaches an import waste control, alongside export waste controls and a cultural-object export licence entry. Ask your customs broker to confirm which entries apply to the shipment. If importing waste under notification controls into England, shipment can start only after consent from the Environment Agency and the other competent authorities involved. This guide concerns new pet bowls for business import into Great Britain.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping or countervailing duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hand-made common pottery pet bowls, subject to classification | 6912 00 81 10 | 4% | None |
| Other common pottery pet bowls, subject to classification | 6912 00 81 90 | 4% | None |
| Stoneware pet bowls, subject to classification | 6912 00 83 00 | 4% | None |
| Earthenware or fine pottery pet bowls, subject to classification | 6912 00 85 00 | 8% | None |
| Other non-porcelain ceramic pet bowls, subject to classification | 6912 00 89 00 | 6% | None |
Specify the body, feeding surface and base
Specify stoneware, earthenware or another agreed clay body, with drawings for the opening, depth, capacity, wall thickness and base. Identify whether the bowl is for food, water or slow feeding. For raised bowls, approve the assembled bowl and stand; for shallow cat bowls, check access to the feeding surface.
Agree glaze coverage, decoration position, colour variation, a smooth rim and a base that sits flat. Ask an independent laboratory to propose suitable checks for glaze and decoration, including lead and cadmium release. Treat these as purchasing checks, with the test method agreed for the intended use.
Consumer products supplied in Great Britain must be safe under the General Product Safety Regulations 2005. Retain the approved sample and supporting safety evidence. Agree cleaning instructions and test any dishwasher claim on production samples, including the decoration and any removable anti-slip ring.
Worked duty example
Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 2,000 stoneware pet bowls under 6912 00 83 00, 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
Rim and glaze: check for sharp edges, chips, cracks, glaze crazing, pinholes and exposed rough surfaces inside the bowl.
Shape and stability: compare dimensions and capacity with the approved sample; check rocking, tipping and fit in any stand.
Use and cleaning: fill water bowls to check leakage, clean slow-feeder recesses, and test decoration and anti-slip parts against the agreed cleaning method.
Packing and identity: check separators, cushioning, bowl-to-bowl contact, retail labels and batch identification against the purchase specification.
What goes wrong
Problems to watch for include warped bases, chipped rims, glaze cracks, water seepage and decoration that changes after washing. A heavy bowl can still rock or tip if its base is uneven. Slow-feeder ridges can leave recesses that are difficult to clean.
Approve packing with the actual bowl shape, particularly raised feet and projecting rims. Compare arrival samples with the retained production sample and record damage before releasing stock. Use our quality inspection guide to agree checks before shipment.
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 pet bowls from China?
The candidate household-article lines carry 4% for common pottery and stoneware, 8% for earthenware or fine pottery, and 6% for other ceramics. Confirm the classification of your bowl.
Do ceramic pet bowls attract anti-dumping duty?
The selected household-article lines show none. Some tableware and kitchenware lines carry residual anti-dumping duty of 36.10%, so confirm the code before ordering.
What should I ask the factory to test?
Agree checks for glaze and decoration, leakage, stability and cleaning performance. Ask a laboratory to select suitable methods for the intended use and match reports to the supplied design.
How do I reduce breakage during shipping?
Approve separators and cushioning around rims and raised feet. Check packed samples for bowl-to-bowl contact and inspect arrival cartons and bowls before releasing stock.