Sourcing aluminium paint tubes from China
Empty collapsible aluminium paint tubes from China carry a single UK duty rate of 6%. Packaging supplied into the UK counts towards packaging producer responsibility. Specify the lining against your paint formula and test the filled, crimped tube before approving production. Cambridge China Bridge sources collapsible aluminium paint tubes.
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Duty on empty aluminium paint tubes
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 1 October 2026, empty collapsible aluminium paint tubes fall under 7612 10 00 00 and carry 6% duty for goods from China. The supplied tariff record lists no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no suspension. The table shows different purchasing specifications under the same commodity line. This guide covers empty tubes for filling.
The UK Trade Tariff attaches an import control of fluorinated greenhouse gases. Official guidance prohibits placing products or equipment containing banned fluorinated gases on the Great Britain market. It does not establish the declaration requirement for these empty paint tubes, so confirm the attached control and any required declaration with your customs broker.
Heading 7612 covers aluminium containers, including collapsible tubular containers. Confirm your specification through finding your commodity code; see the wider aluminium containers guide. Ask your customs broker to confirm whether these aluminium containers fall within the UK carbon border adjustment mechanism applying from 1 January 2027. Check your position using the UK carbon border adjustment guide.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping or countervailing duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plain empty collapsible aluminium paint tubes | 7612 10 00 00 | 6% | None |
Specify the tube around the paint and filling process
State that you need empty collapsible aluminium tubes. Agree the alloy, wall thickness, tube length and diameter, shoulder shape, nozzle opening, neck thread and cap material. Specify whether the nozzle has a membrane and how it will be opened. Give the supplier an approved drawing and a physical sample.
Identify the paint formula and agree the internal lacquer, its coverage and the compatibility test. Specify the open tail, sealing compound and finished crimp against your filling equipment. Trial filling, closing, storage and repeated squeezing with your actual paint before approving the production sample.
Confirm with the relevant environmental regulator how packaging supplied into the UK affects your packaging producer responsibility obligations. Ask the supplier for separate material weights for the aluminium tube, cap and transport packaging so you can assess your position.
Worked duty example
Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative trial batch of printed empty aluminium paint tubes with caps under 7612 10 00 00, invoiced at £3,000 free on board, with £300 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £3,300. Duty at 6% is £198. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £3,498, so it is £699.60. Import taxes total £897.60; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £198 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.
Inspection checklist
Dimensions and fit: measure the tube against the drawing, check the open tail fits the filling equipment, and confirm the cap seats squarely without damaged threads.
Lining and cleanliness: inspect for exposed metal, loose lacquer and particles; check lacquer adhesion after squeezing and compare filled storage samples with the approved sample.
Sealing and dispensing: fill and crimp sample tubes using your process, check leakage at the tail, shoulder and cap, and confirm the paint dispenses without splitting the tube.
Print and packing: compare artwork and colour identification with the approved proof, check rubbing resistance, and inspect arrival cartons for crushed shoulders and flattened tube bodies. Agree these checks in the inspection brief.
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What goes wrong
A tube can look sound before filling but leak after crimping or crack when squeezed. Poor lacquer coverage can expose aluminium to the paint; detached coating can contaminate the contents. A cap may screw on while failing to seal because the neck, sealing face or cap insert differs from the approved sample.
Keep the filled trial samples and approved components as comparison references. Require approval before changes to lacquer, cap or sealing compound. On arrival, quarantine crushed or leaking stock and record the affected batches before filling the remaining tubes.
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 aluminium paint tubes from China?
Empty collapsible aluminium paint tubes under 7612 10 00 00 carry 6% duty.
Can I use the same aluminium tube for different paints?
Do not approve it on appearance alone. Trial the actual paint formula with the proposed lacquer, cap and crimp, then check storage stability, leakage and repeated squeezing.
Does the fluorinated-gas control apply to empty paint tubes?
The tariff attaches the control to this commodity line. Confirm its applicability and any declaration with your customs broker; the official guidance reviewed does not settle the empty-tube declaration.
Should I buy paint tubes with the tail already closed?
Agree the supply condition with your filler. For tail filling, specify an open tail and test the finished crimp using your filling equipment, paint and sealing compound.