Sourcing fermented lychee wine from China
Fermented lychee wine from China carries UK customs duty of £4.80 to £16.00 per hectolitre, depending on container size and whether it is sparkling. Alcohol Duty is separate; ask the relevant food-labelling authority to confirm whether drinks over 1.2% alcohol must show their strength on the label. Cambridge China Bridge sources fermented lychee wine.
Specific customs duty, with Alcohol Duty separate
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 29 September 2026, heading 2206 covers other fermented beverages and certain beverage mixtures. For fermented lychee wine from China, the relevant other-beverage lines carry £16.00 per hectolitre for sparkling products, £6.40 for still products in containers holding 2 litres or less, and £4.80 for still products in larger containers. These are duties on volume, rather than percentages of the goods' value.
The supplied lines show no anti-dumping or countervailing duties and no suspensions. Alcohol Duty is separate: imported alcoholic products become liable when they arrive in the UK. The tariff also attaches organic import control. Wine sold as organic needs an inspection certificate; the exporter's control body issues it in the country of export. Confirm the applicable certification and clearance requirements with your customs broker before shipping.
Give your broker the recipe, fermentation process, any added alcohol, finished strength, sparkling status and container capacity to confirm the commodity code. Do not classify solely from the supplier's product name. See the fermented plum wine guide for related sourcing within the wider heading.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping or countervailing duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sparkling fermented lychee wine | 2206 00 39 00 | £16.00 per hl | None |
| Still fermented lychee wine, containers holding 2 litres or less | 2206 00 59 00 | £6.40 per hl | None |
| Still fermented lychee wine, containers holding more than 2 litres | 2206 00 89 00 | £4.80 per hl | None |
Specify the lychee base and fermentation
Specify whether the fermentable base is lychee juice, concentrate or a blend, and record the proportions of fruit, water and sugar. Request the full formulation, including flavourings, preservatives, fining agents and any added alcohol. Agree sweetness, acidity, colour, clarity and lychee aroma against an approved sample.
Set the finished alcoholic strength and agreed tolerances, still or sparkling presentation, bottle capacity, closure and carton dividers. Ask for evidence supporting storage conditions and stability after bottling, especially for sweetened products. For labels, check the product name, net quantity, alcoholic strength where required, allergens and UK business name and address.
Inspection checklist
Liquid: compare aroma, sweetness, colour and clarity with the approved sample; investigate unexpected haze, sediment or sour odours.
Laboratory: check alcoholic strength, residual sugar, acidity and microbiological stability against the agreed specification; review sulphite results where used.
Packing: check fill levels, closure seals, leakage, glass damage and carton dividers; verify that sparkling bottles and closures match the agreed pressure specification.
Records: match batch references across bottles, cartons and analysis reports; check label artwork and organic documents where applicable. Arrange the scope using the quality inspection guide.
What goes wrong
A sample can conceal a different production recipe: lychee flavouring replaces part of the fruit base, sweetness changes, or the finished strength differs from the label. Continued fermentation after bottling can cause unexpected gas, leakage or pushed closures. Check production-batch samples and stability evidence before approving dispatch.
A landed-cost estimate can omit Alcohol Duty, while an organic claim can arrive without the necessary certificate. Plan customs duty, Alcohol Duty and import VAT together using the duty and VAT guide. Before wholesale sales, check whether Alcohol Wholesaler Registration Scheme approval applies; before retail sales, ask the local licensing authority about your sales arrangement.
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 fermented lychee wine from China?
The supplied tariff shows £16.00 per hectolitre for sparkling wine, £6.40 for still wine in containers holding 2 litres or less, and £4.80 for larger still containers. Alcohol Duty is separate.
Is lychee wine customs duty a percentage?
The relevant supplied lines charge duty per hectolitre. Confirm sparkling status and individual container capacity; the carton size does not describe the bottle capacity.
Can I import organic lychee wine from China?
Products sold as organic need an inspection certificate. The exporter's control body issues it in the country of export. Confirm the applicable certification route with your customs broker before ordering.
What should I test before shipping lychee wine?
Check alcoholic strength, sweetness, acidity and stability against your specification. Compare production samples with the approved sample, and inspect closures, leaks and glass protection.