Sourcing gardenia yellow colourant from China
Gardenia yellow classified as vegetable colouring matter carries 0% UK duty from China, with no trade remedy shown in the supplied tariff record. Food additives need authorisation before marketing in Great Britain; confirm gardenia yellow's status before a food-use order. Cambridge China Bridge sources gardenia yellow colourant.
Gardenia yellow duty and tariff controls
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 4 October 2026, vegetable colouring matter and preparations based on it under 3203 00 10 00 carried 0% duty from China. The supplied record shows no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no suspension. Heading 3203 covers vegetable or animal colouring matter, including dyeing extracts, but excludes animal black. The table shows purchasing forms under the same vegetable-origin line.
The tariff attaches veterinary, CITES and waste import controls, plus CITES and waste export controls. For this gardenia preparation from China, ask your customs broker to confirm the veterinary requirement. If a listed species is involved, CITES permits are required. Waste subject to notification cannot move before the relevant authorities consent. Ask the broker to confirm which controls and declaration documents apply to the actual composition and condition.
Provide the botanical identity, extraction process, full formulation and intended use when confirming the commodity code. Classification should follow the supplied preparation. See the natural colours and dyes guide for the wider heading.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping or countervailing duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gardenia yellow vegetable colourant powder | 3203 00 10 00 | 0% | None |
Specify gardenia identity, strength and intended use
Specify the botanical source and plant part, extraction solvents, powder or liquid form, and every carrier or other added ingredient. Define colour strength with the test method, wavelength, solvent and sample preparation. Agree hue and dispersion against an approved sample, then test heat, light and acidity stability in the intended product.
Food additives need authorisation before they can be placed on the market in Great Britain. This guide does not establish that gardenia yellow is authorised. Before a food-use order, obtain and verify the applicable authorisation and specification. A supplier's description of the material as food grade should not be your approval evidence.
For textile or craft use, confirm the UK REACH position with HSE before importing. Keep the intended application in the purchase specification, and use factory verification to check the extraction plant and its laboratory.
Worked duty example
Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 2 tonnes of gardenia yellow powder for non-food dyeing trials under 3203 00 10 00, invoiced at £24,000 free on board, with £1,500 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £25,500. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £25,500, so it is £5,100. 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
Identity and formulation: compare the delivered batch's identity test and ingredient declaration with the approved gardenia specification; check for undeclared carriers or synthetic colour additions.
Colour performance: measure strength using the agreed method and compare hue, dispersion and stability in the intended application with the retained reference sample.
Purity: review batch-specific testing for residual extraction solvents and contaminants against your agreed specification; match the tested sample to the delivered lot.
Packing and records: check seals, moisture protection, caking and leakage on arrival; match package batch identifiers to the certificate of analysis and retain a sample. See quality inspection.
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What goes wrong
Colour values are difficult to compare when suppliers use different test conditions or carrier levels. A strong-looking powder can give a weaker or different shade in your formulation. Moisture causes caking, while exposure during processing or storage can change colour. Agree the test conditions and assess the delivered lot in your own application.
A food-use order can fail before performance testing if the buyer has accepted a food-grade claim without verifying authorisation. Hold that order until the regulatory position is established, and keep the approved formulation and batch evidence together.
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 gardenia yellow from China?
The supplied tariff record shows 0% under 3203 00 10 00 for vegetable colouring matter and preparations, with no anti-dumping or countervailing duty.
Can I use Chinese gardenia yellow in food sold in Great Britain?
Do not assume so. Food additives need authorisation before marketing in Great Britain. This guide does not establish gardenia yellow's authorisation; verify it before ordering for food use.
How do I compare gardenia yellow samples?
Use the same colour-strength method, solvent and sample preparation. Compare hue and dispersion in your application, then test stability under its processing and storage conditions.
Does gardenia yellow need veterinary or CITES paperwork?
The tariff attaches both controls to the vegetable-origin line. Ask your customs broker to confirm the requirements for the exact preparation; do not infer paperwork from its name alone.