Sourcing glass beverage bottles from China
Glass beverage bottles from China carry 0% ordinary UK duty. Bottles under 2.5 litres also attract provisional anti-dumping duty of 24.65% to 52.97%, depending on the exporter and documents. Bottles used to package drinks must be suitable for food use. Cambridge China Bridge sources glass beverage bottles.
UK duty on glass beverage bottles
Heading 7010 covers glass containers used to convey or pack goods, including empty beverage bottles. Classification depends on nominal capacity and whether the glass is colourless or coloured. For other containers and the wider heading, see glass candle jars and lids.
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 16 October 2026, all bottle lines shown carry 0% ordinary duty for goods from China. Bottles under 2.5 litres also carry provisional anti-dumping duty, with a 52.97% residual rate. Named and co-operating exporters can qualify for 24.65% to 26.87% with the signed invoice declaration. A guarantee is required during the provisional remedy. The snapshot lists no suspensions or countervailing duty for these lines.
The tariff also attaches anti-dumping or countervailing registration to the bottle lines under 2.5 litres. The official notice subjects covered imports to registration. Ask your customs broker to confirm the declaration and guarantee arrangements before shipment. Confirm the commodity code using the bottle drawing, nominal capacity, glass colour and intended use.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping or countervailing duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colourless beverage bottles, at least 1 litre but under 2.5 litres | 7010 90 41 00 | 0% | 52.97% residual anti-dumping (provisional) |
| Colourless beverage bottles, over 0.33 litre but under 1 litre | 7010 90 43 00 | 0% | 52.97% residual anti-dumping (provisional) |
| Colourless beverage bottles, 0.15 to 0.33 litre inclusive | 7010 90 45 00 | 0% | 52.97% residual anti-dumping (provisional) |
| Colourless beverage bottles, under 0.15 litre | 7010 90 47 00 | 0% | 52.97% residual anti-dumping (provisional) |
| Coloured beverage bottles, at least 1 litre but under 2.5 litres | 7010 90 51 00 | 0% | 52.97% residual anti-dumping (provisional) |
| Coloured beverage bottles, over 0.33 litre but under 1 litre | 7010 90 53 00 | 0% | 52.97% residual anti-dumping (provisional) |
| Coloured beverage bottles, 0.15 to 0.33 litre inclusive | 7010 90 55 00 | 0% | 52.97% residual anti-dumping (provisional) |
| Coloured beverage bottles, under 0.15 litre | 7010 90 57 00 | 0% | 52.97% residual anti-dumping (provisional) |
| Glass beverage containers, nominal capacity 2.5 litres or more | 7010 90 31 00 | 0% | None |
Specify the bottle, closure and filling process
Specify nominal and brimful capacity, fill level, glass colour, bottle weight, height, body diameter, neck finish and closure. Include tolerances, the label panel, decoration and carton dividers. Keep an approved production sample and trial it with the actual cap, cork or stopper and filling equipment.
Describe the drink and process: still or carbonated, cold filling or hot filling, storage conditions and intended reuse. Ask for test evidence matching that use, including pressure or thermal performance where relevant. If you package drinks yourself, the packaging must be suitable for food use. Ask for supporting information covering the bottle and any closure components that touch the drink.
Worked duty example
Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 500 empty colourless glass beverage bottles under 7010 90 43 00, invoiced at £500 free on board, with £500 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £1,000. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £1,000, so it is £200. 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
Glass: check rims, bases and bodies for chips, cracks, sharp edges, stones and loose fragments; compare colour and wall consistency with the approved sample.
Dimensions: measure capacity, height, body diameter and neck finish against the agreed drawing; trial bottles on the filling and labelling equipment.
Closure: fit the agreed closure to bottles from different cartons and check sealing, leakage and opening behaviour with the intended drink.
Packing: open cartons on arrival, check dividers, breakage and internal cleanliness, and retain carton and batch identification with the inspection record.
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What goes wrong
A bottle can match the photograph but have a neck finish that leaks with your closure. Uneven bases can upset the filling line, and a changed label panel can wrinkle labels. Trial production samples through filling, closing and labelling before approving the batch; use quality inspection guidance to agree the checks.
Treating ordinary duty as the whole customs cost misses the provisional anti-dumping measure. Confirm the actual producer and invoice declaration before accepting an exporter-specific rate. Keep the cost assumptions separate from the bottle specification so that a change of factory triggers a fresh customs check.
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.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UK import duty on glass beverage bottles from China?
Ordinary duty is 0%. Bottles under 2.5 litres also carry provisional anti-dumping duty: 52.97% residual, or an exporter-specific rate with the required signed invoice declaration.
Can I use imported glass bottles for drinks?
If you package drinks yourself, the bottles must be suitable for food use. Ask for supporting information for the intended drink, filling process and closure, and trial production samples.
How do I check bottles for carbonated drinks?
Specify the drink, filling process and pressure conditions. Ask for matching test evidence and trial the bottle with the actual closure. Appearance alone does not establish suitability.
How do I reduce breakage in transit?
Agree dividers, carton strength and pallet packing with the factory. Inspect packed cartons before dispatch and open cartons on arrival to record breakage, chips and loose glass.