Sourcing escarole from China

Escarole duty: 10%

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 29 September 2026, heading 0705 covers fresh or chilled lettuce and chicory. Escarole, also called broad-leaved or Batavian endive, fits the other-chicory description under 0705 29 00 00. The supplied extract shows 10% duty for Chinese-origin goods, with no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no suspension.

The extract attaches import control of organic products to this line. Organic escarole imported from China into Great Britain requires a certificate of inspection. The exporter’s control body issues it in the country of export. Confirm the remaining organic clearance requirements with your customs broker before dispatch.

Only the escarole-relevant commodity line is shown here. Confirm the commodity code against the actual goods and presentation. For the wider heading, see the fresh frisée endive guide.

Specify broad leaves and usable heads

Describe the product as broad-leaved escarole and attach approved photographs showing the outer leaves, heart and trimmed base. Agree variety, head weight range, trimming, acceptable outer-leaf damage, carton count and whether the goods are whole heads or separated leaves. Do not rely on an order description that says only endive.

Agree pre-cooling, transport conditions, temperature records and the condition expected on arrival. Ask the broker to confirm plant-health documentation and the marketing-standard conformity certificate route for Chinese escarole before booking transport. Fresh fruit and vegetables must meet applicable quality and labelling requirements.

For food safety, ask for a lot-specific pesticide residue report against GB maximum residue levels, as explained in the reference guides. Match the tested produce to the grower, packing records and shipment lot.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative wholesale consignment of fresh escarole, not a quotation under 0705 29 00 00, invoiced at £18,000 free on board, with £3,500 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £21,500. Duty at 10% is £2,150. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £23,650, so it is £4,730. Import taxes total £6,880; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £2,150 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

Identity: compare broad leaves, heart appearance and trimming with the approved sample; check for substitution with curly endive or witloof.

Condition: open cartons from different positions and inspect inner leaves and bases for wilting, slime, decay, browning, insects and trapped soil.

Quantity and packing: weigh trimmed heads, check carton counts and inspect ventilation, crushing and wet packaging against the purchase specification.

Documents: match carton lots to packing records and residue reports; check origin and quality-class labelling, and inspect organic documentation where an organic claim is made.

What goes wrong

A satisfactory outer layer can conceal damaged inner leaves or a deteriorating base. Heavy trimming after arrival reduces usable yield even when the delivery weight looks acceptable. Record the condition before trimming and compare usable heads with the agreed specification.

Ambiguous endive descriptions invite substitution. Warm handling, wet leaves and crushed cartons can leave heads wilted or decaying on arrival. Agree photographic evidence, temperature records and an arrival inspection process before placing the order.

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.