Sourcing chocolate hazelnut spreads from China
Chocolate hazelnut spreads from China carry 8% UK duty across the relevant spread and bulk-paste lines. Allergens must be emphasised whenever they appear in the ingredients list. Confirm the import controls against the actual recipe before shipping. Cambridge China Bridge sources chocolate hazelnut spreads.
Duty on chocolate hazelnut spreads
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 4 October 2026, heading 1806 covers chocolate and other food preparations containing cocoa. The selected spread and bulk-paste lines all carry 8% duty for goods from China, so there is no rate variation among them. The supplied facts record no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no suspensions on these lines.
The tariff attaches Veterinary control, Restriction on entry into free circulation and Import control of organic products. Ask your customs broker to confirm their application to the Chinese spread, including animal-origin ingredients, any food-release documents and organic certification. An organic certificate of inspection is issued by the exporter’s control body in the country of export. Confirm the required certificate before ordering an organic version.
Immediate pack size and the recipe distinguish retail spreads from bulk preparations. The bulk rows are candidates only where their composition fits the tariff description. Give your broker net pack weight, sucrose content and cocoa butter and milkfat details to confirm the commodity code. See the wider chocolate and cocoa guide for other products in this heading.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping or countervailing duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cocoa hazelnut spreads in immediate packs not exceeding 1 kg | 1806 90 60 19 | 8% | None |
| Other cocoa hazelnut spread packs within the spreads subheading | 1806 90 60 99 | 8% | None |
| Bulk cocoa hazelnut paste over 2 kg, sucrose below 70%, other preparations | 1806 20 95 19 | 8% | None |
| Bulk cocoa hazelnut paste over 2 kg, sucrose at least 70%, other preparations | 1806 20 95 99 | 8% | None |
Specify the hazelnut recipe and spreading texture
Specify hazelnut and cocoa content, the sugar and fat blend, milk ingredients, emulsifiers and flavourings. Agree smooth or crunchy texture, roasted flavour, sweetness and acceptable oil separation against an approved sample. Define jar material, closure, seal, storage conditions, shelf life and the remaining shelf life you expect on arrival.
For a milk-containing recipe, give your broker the ingredient origins and processing records to assess the veterinary control and any exemption. Composite products with a confirmed exemption from import controls must travel with a commercial document from the exporter. Agree the clearance route before dispatch rather than relying on the supplier’s description of the spread as shelf-stable.
Worked duty example
Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative opening stock order of retail jars for a small food wholesaler under 1806 90 60 19, invoiced at £40,000 free on board, with £3,000 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £43,000. Duty at 8% is £3,440. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £46,440, so it is £9,288. Import taxes total £12,728; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £3,440 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
Recipe: compare batch records and agreed laboratory results with the approved hazelnut, cocoa, sugar and fat specification.
Texture: compare sampled jars with the approved sample for grittiness, oil separation, spreadability and roasted flavour.
Packaging: check seals, leakage, cracked jars, closures, declared net weight and legible batch and date markings.
Allergens: check hazelnut, milk and soya declarations against the recipe; allergens must be emphasised every time they appear in the ingredients list.
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What goes wrong
A changed fat blend can leave the spread oily or too firm, while poorly ground hazelnuts produce a gritty texture. Heat exposure can change consistency, and loose closures can leak into cartons. Compare arrival samples with retained production samples and review transport records before accepting affected stock.
Recipe changes can leave labels describing an earlier formulation. An omitted milk ingredient also leaves the broker working from incomplete import information. Approve recipe and artwork together, and repeat the checks after any ingredient change. Use an agreed inspection brief for production and arrival checks.
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.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UK import duty on chocolate hazelnut spread from China?
The relevant spread and bulk-paste lines in the supplied tariff facts carry 8% duty, with no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no suspensions recorded.
Which commodity code covers retail jars of chocolate hazelnut spread?
1806 90 60 19 covers other spreads containing cocoa in immediate packs not exceeding 1 kg. Confirm the finished recipe and pack size with your customs broker.
Does milk powder affect the import paperwork?
Give your broker the milk ingredient’s origin and processing details. Confirm the veterinary control and any exemption; exempt composite products must travel with an exporter’s commercial document.
What should I check when chocolate hazelnut spread arrives?
Check jar seals, leakage, weight, batch markings and remaining shelf life. Compare flavour, grittiness, spreadability and oil separation with the approved sample, and match allergen labels to the recipe.