Sourcing crushed tomatoes from China
Crushed tomatoes from China carry 14% UK duty across the relevant lines. Pre-packed products must carry a business name and address; organic imports into Great Britain need a valid Certificate of Inspection. Confirm whether the product is pieces or a purée before choosing its code. Cambridge China Bridge sources crushed tomatoes.
14% duty on the relevant crushed-tomato lines
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 5 October 2026, heading 2002 covers tomatoes prepared or preserved otherwise than by vinegar or acetic acid. All supplied lines carry 14% duty for goods from China, with no anti-dumping or countervailing duty recorded. The table gives possible classifications for crushed tomatoes retaining pieces and more finely processed products.
The heading contains a 0% suspension for specified tomato paste under 2002 90 41 95, not a general relief for crushed tomatoes. The tariff attaches an organic import control. Organic crushed tomatoes from China entering Great Britain need a valid Certificate of Inspection, issued by the exporter's control body in the country of export. Confirm the paperwork with your organic control body and customs broker before shipment.
Give your broker the recipe, processing description, representative sample, dry matter result and immediate pack net weight. Confirm whether the product belongs under tomatoes in pieces or another prepared-tomato line through finding your commodity code. For the wider heading, see canned diced tomatoes.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping or countervailing duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Peeled tomato pieces, immediate packs over 1 kg | 2002 10 11 00 | 14% | None |
| Peeled tomato pieces, immediate packs up to 1 kg | 2002 10 19 00 | 14% | None |
| Other tomatoes whole or in pieces | 2002 10 90 00 | 14% | None |
| Other prepared tomatoes, dry matter below 12%, immediate packs over 1 kg | 2002 90 11 00 | 14% | None |
| Other prepared tomatoes, dry matter below 12%, immediate packs up to 1 kg | 2002 90 19 00 | 14% | None |
Specify the crush, liquid and cooking performance
Define whether the product is crushed peeled flesh in juice, a coarse pulp or a smoother preparation. Agree the acceptable fragment size, peel and seed content, free liquid, colour and flavour against an approved sample. Record added salt, sugar, acids and any other ingredients. Specify measured dry matter separately from soluble-solids readings.
Trial the sample in your intended sauce or catering recipe. Compare separation before stirring and consistency after cooking. Agree can size, lining, closure, storage instructions and remaining shelf life on arrival. Ask for batch test reports covering the agreed composition, pesticide residues and spoilage checks.
Worked duty example
Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 3,000 kg of crushed peeled tomatoes retaining pieces, in catering cans over 1 kg under 2002 10 11 00, invoiced at £3,500 free on board, with £2,500 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £6,000. Duty at 14% is £840. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £6,840, so it is £1,368. Import taxes total £2,208; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £840 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
Texture: open samples from the shipment and compare fragments, peel, seeds, liquid separation, colour and cooked consistency with the approved sample.
Containers: inspect for swelling, leakage, seam damage and corrosion; arrange seam examination and spoilage testing rather than relying on appearance alone.
Batch evidence: match carton and can identifiers to the production lot, test report and packing records; check net contents against the agreed specification.
Labels: pre-packed products must carry a business name and address. Review the recipe, date marking, storage wording and origin presentation before printing; compare the delivered labels with the approved artwork.
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What goes wrong
A supplier can interpret crushed tomatoes as smooth pulp, while the buyer expects visible flesh. Excess liquid makes the cooking result thinner, peel fragments spoil the texture, and overheated product tastes cooked and looks dull. Keep an approved sample and a cooking comparison in the purchase specification.
Damaged seams, internal corrosion and leaking or swollen cans need investigation before stock is used or dispatched. Hold affected stock apart, record the batch and damage, and arrange laboratory assessment. Missing organic paperwork can also disrupt clearance, so settle the documentation before loading.
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 crushed tomatoes from China?
The relevant lines carry 14% duty in the supplied tariff reading. No anti-dumping or countervailing duty is recorded. The specified tomato-paste suspension does not provide general relief for crushed tomatoes.
Can I import organic crushed tomatoes from China?
Organic imports into Great Britain need a valid Certificate of Inspection. The exporter's control body issues it in the country of export. Confirm the consignment paperwork with your organic control body before shipment.
What should I test before buying crushed tomatoes?
Check fragment size, peel and seeds, liquid separation, measured dry matter, colour and cooking consistency. Agree batch testing for pesticide residues and spoilage, plus checks on can seams and lining.
Which commodity code covers crushed tomatoes?
The name alone is insufficient. Ask your broker to assess whether the product retains tomato pieces or is another prepared form, using its processing, dry matter and immediate pack net weight.