Sourcing wooden ice cream spoons from China

Zero duty, with the material deciding the code

Heading 4419 covers tableware and kitchenware of wood. For disposable ice cream spoons, distinguish non-tropical wood, tropical wood and solid bamboo. The table shows material alternatives, rather than interchangeable codes. See the wooden and bamboo kitchenware guide for the wider heading.

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 16 October 2026, the relevant lines carry 0% duty on goods from China, with no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no listed suspension. The non-tropical wood line attaches CITES import and export controls. For CITES-covered material entering Great Britain from China, obtain the applicable import documentation and corresponding Chinese export documentation. Confirm the species-specific requirement with your customs broker. The supplied tariff also lists a cultural-goods export licence control; ask your broker to confirm its relevance.

Give your broker the wood species, construction and any coating or adhesive details before confirming the commodity code. Confirm with the relevant food authority the applicable limits on substance transfer from food-contact wood. Ask for evidence covering the finished spoon and its actual treatment, rather than a report for untreated timber.

Specify the spoon, wood and serving conditions

Agree the wood species, spoon length, bowl width and depth, handle thickness and edge finish against an approved sample. State whether the spoon is bare wood or treated, and identify any coating, adhesive or printing. Specify individual wrapping or bulk packs, pack counts and carton identification.

Try samples with the ice cream and serving method you intend to use. Check that the bowl scoops without cracking, the handle remains comfortable and the spoon does not leave splinters. Agree moisture control and packing with the factory, and keep a sealed reference sample for comparison.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: 5,000 disposable wooden ice cream spoons; illustrative order, not a quote under 4419 90 00 00, invoiced at £1,200 free on board, with £1,200 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £2,400. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £2,400, so it is £480. 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

Edges: run a clean cloth over the bowl rim and handle to find snags; inspect for splinters, cracks and rough end grain.

Shape and strength: compare samples with the approved spoon, check bowl depth and handle thickness, and test scooping with the intended ice cream.

Food contact: match finish and adhesive specifications to the supplied reports; check for odour and colour transfer on finished spoons.

Packing and arrival: check counts, wrapper seals where used, dry cartons and signs of mould. Record moisture readings and compare batches through the agreed inspection process.

What goes wrong

A sample can feel smooth while production spoons have rough bowl rims or chipped handles. Thin handles and grain running across the neck can cause breakage during scooping. Inspect packed production stock, rather than relying on presentation samples.

Damp spoons packed before they are dry can arrive with mould or a musty smell. An undisclosed surface treatment can also make the food-contact evidence irrelevant. Agree drying, packing and treatment details before production, then check the delivered stock against them.

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.