Sourcing display case glass from China

Duty on edge-worked display case panels

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 4 October 2026, heading 7006 covers glass of headings 7003, 7004 or 7005 that is bent, edge-worked, engraved, drilled, enamelled or otherwise worked, but not framed or fitted with other materials. Both lines carry 0% duty for goods from China. The supplied tariff record lists no anti-dumping or countervailing measures, suspensions or attached import controls.

Ordinary annealed display case panels with polished edges fall within the other worked glass line, 7006 00 90 00. The table shows different panel specifications sharing that code. Toughened or laminated safety glass belongs under heading 7007, while glass fitted into a frame or combined with other materials is classified according to the finished article.

Confirm the commodity code using the processing description, drawings and condition at import. See the glass shelves and worked glass guide for the wider heading.

Specify the panel and its display case fit

Specify clear, low-iron or tinted glass, annealed condition, thickness and tolerance, finished dimensions, corner shape and edge finish. Draw each hole and cut-out from a named reference edge. Show the intended channels, clamps and clearances, and approve a sample fitted into the actual case before agreeing production.

Decide whether annealed glass suits the installation. Where people could impact furniture glass, toughened or laminated safety glass is usually needed instead. In Great Britain, the General Product Safety Regulations 2005 apply to products intended for or foreseeably used by consumers and require consumer products to be safe in normal or reasonably foreseeable use.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order of 500 small edge-worked annealed display case panels; FOB and freight values are illustrative whole-pound amounts under 7006 00 90 00, invoiced at £2,400 free on board, with £500 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £2,900. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £2,900, so it is £580. 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

Dimensions and fit: measure thickness, width, height, hole positions and cut-outs against the approved drawing; trial-fit sampled panels into the intended channels or clamps.

Edges and corners: check the agreed polish or bevel, including holes and cut-outs, for sharp areas, chips and shell-shaped defects.

Viewing quality: inspect scratches, bubbles, tint consistency and distortion at the agreed viewing distance, with the display lighting switched on.

Packing and arrival: check separators, corner protection and crate bracing; photograph damaged packing before unpacking and isolate cracked or chipped panels.

What goes wrong

Panels can meet overall dimensions yet fail to fit because holes were measured from the wrong edge or the bevel fouls a channel. Polished edges can still contain chips, while scratches that escape a factory check become visible under display lighting. Agree the drawing references and viewing conditions before production.

A polished edge does not make annealed glass safety glass. Confirm suitability for the case location before ordering, and keep packing pressure away from unsupported edges and corners. Use the quality inspection guide to set the inspection brief.

Cambridge China Bridge sources these products for UK businesses, checking the factory and the documents before shipment. See factory verification. For own-brand ranges, see sourcing for brands.