Sourcing frozen blackberries from China

Blackberry duty depends on added sweetener

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 30 September 2026, heading 0811 covers frozen fruit and nuts, uncooked or cooked by steaming or boiling in water, with or without added sweetener. Blackberries without added sweetener fall under 0811 20 59 00 at 12%. Individually frozen and block-frozen blackberries share this code. See the wider frozen fruit guide for other fruits.

Blackberries with added sweetener carry 20% under 0811 20 19 15, or 20% plus £7.00 per 100 kg under 0811 20 11 15 when sugar content exceeds 13% by weight. The supplied blackberry lines show no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no suspension. Confirm the recipe and sugar content before choosing the commodity code.

The tariff attaches an organic import control. Organic blackberries from China need an inspection certificate for each consignment; the exporter’s control body issues it. Check the recognised non-UK organic registers for the export country and control body, and confirm importer certification and clearance arrangements with your organic control body and customs broker before shipment.

Specify blackberries for their intended use

State the variety, harvest origin, whole-fruit or broken-fruit grade, individually frozen or block-frozen format, berry size, colour and sweetness. Set agreed allowances for crushed fruit, stalks, mould and foreign matter. Specify added sugar or other sweetener, pack weight and whether the berries will be cooked or eaten without cooking.

Confirm the importer's food safety and traceability obligations and applicable UK pesticide residue and contaminant limits with the relevant authority. Agree batch sampling and laboratory checks before production, including viral testing where the intended use warrants it. Retail packs must meet food information rules; pre-packed food sold in Great Britain must include a UK food business operator address.

For fruit intended to be labelled quick-frozen in England, confirm applicable temperature requirements and permitted transport fluctuations with the relevant authority. Agree a contractual temperature of -18°C or colder after stabilisation and discuss whether any brief transport rises up to -15°C are acceptable. Put loading temperatures, cold-store handling, transport settings and temperature-record handover into the purchase specification.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 5 tonnes of frozen blackberries without added sweetener under 0811 20 59 00, invoiced at £20,000 free on board, with £1,800 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £21,800. Duty at 12% is £2,616. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £24,416, so it is £4,883.20. Import taxes total £7,499.20; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £2,616 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

Fruit: compare berry size, colour, broken fruit, stalks and foreign matter with the approved sample; check individually frozen berries for clumping.

Temperature: check core temperatures and logger records at loading and arrival, including transfers between the container and cold store.

Batch evidence: match laboratory reports, pack markings and shipment records to the actual lot; review pesticide, contaminant and agreed microbiological or viral results.

Packaging: check seals, damaged liners, net weight and label artwork; match any organic inspection certificate to the consignment. Use the quality inspection guide to brief the inspector.

What goes wrong

A dark, intact berry can still have a residue or contamination problem. Frozen berries have been linked to hepatitis A and norovirus outbreaks, so appearance alone cannot establish safety. Keep laboratory sampling separate from the visual grading check, particularly for berries intended for uncooked desserts or drinks.

Warm handling can leave berries clumped, leaking or freezer-burnt, while excessive broken fruit changes the usable yield. A recipe change can also move a shipment into a different duty line. Hold affected stock for review, compare arrival records with loading evidence, and resolve discrepancies before accepting the lot.

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.