Sourcing chocolate enrobing machines from China

Duty on chocolate enrobing machines

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 24 October 2026, chocolate machinery under 8438 20 00 00 carried 0% duty for goods from China. The supplied tariff record lists no anti-dumping or countervailing duty, suspension or attached import control for this line. Import VAT is normally 20%.

Heading 8438 covers industrial food and drink preparation machinery. The table shows enrober configurations using the same chocolate machinery line, rather than separate tariff subdivisions. Confirm the commodity code against the actual machine and any separately supplied equipment. See the wider food machinery guide for other products in this heading.

Specify the coating process and cleaning access

Specify the centres to be coated, their dimensions and fragility, the chocolate or compound coating, and whether you need full, bottom or partial coverage. Agree belt width, working speed, coating weight, chocolate temperature control and whether tempering is included. Match the machine discharge to your cooling arrangement.

Ask for a factory trial using your centres and coating. Agree acceptance criteria for coverage, tails, pooling, product movement and cleaning. Specify removable trays, access to the chocolate tank and pump, and how the belt is cleaned. Confirm the applicable food-contact materials rules with the relevant authority; request material details and supporting declarations for plastics, seals and lubricants.

New machinery placed on the Great Britain market must have UKCA or CE marking, a declaration of conformity and English instructions. Review the machine's guarding, interlocks and technical documentation before shipment, as described in the published food machinery guide.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: A chocolate enrobing machine with integrated tempering for a small confectionery business; illustrative values, not a quotation under 8438 20 00 00, invoiced at £45,000 free on board, with £3,500 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £48,500. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £48,500, so it is £9,700. With no duty, the only import tax is the VAT, which a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Coating: run your centres through the chocolate curtain and check top, side and underside coverage, excess chocolate removal and transfer onto the discharge belt.

Temperature and movement: check tank and curtain temperatures against the agreed settings, belt tracking, pump operation and product spacing throughout the trial.

Hygiene: inspect welds, joints, belt supports and return trays for trapped chocolate; demonstrate draining, dismantling and cleaning.

Arrival: compare the nameplate, declaration and English instructions with the ordered model; inspect transit damage, guards, interlocks, emergency stops and electrical supply rating before commissioning.

What goes wrong

A trial with easy-to-handle centres can hide problems with your own biscuits or soft fillings. Uneven chocolate flow, poor temperature control and incorrect belt settings can leave bare patches, heavy bottoms or tails. Record the agreed trial settings and results so the delivered machine can be checked against them.

Chocolate left in inaccessible returns or pump cavities makes changeovers difficult. Confirm cleaning access and spare belt, pump and seal availability before ordering. If the enrober arrives with separately supplied cooling equipment, give its specification to your customs broker rather than assuming the enrober's code covers everything.

Cambridge China Bridge sources these products for UK businesses, checking the factory and the documents before shipment. See factory verification. For machinery and equipment, see machinery imports.