Sourcing glass bottle moulds from China
Glass bottle moulds from China carry 0% UK duty, with no duty variation within the glass mould line. Suppliers must supply safe work equipment. If your mould stays in China to make imported bottles, its cost may need adding to their customs value. Cambridge China Bridge sources glass bottle moulds.
Glass bottle moulds and UK duty
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 16 October 2026, glass moulds under 8480 50 00 00 carried 0% duty for goods from China. The supplied tariff record lists no anti-dumping or countervailing duty, suspension or attached import control for this line.
Heading 8480 covers moulds and related tooling for several materials. The table shows glass bottle mould applications sharing the same glass mould code, rather than separate tariff subdivisions. Confirm the commodity code against the goods actually shipped. See the wider moulds and tooling guide for other applications. For metal casting tooling, see our guide to pressure die-casting moulds.
If you provide a mould that remains in China to produce bottles subsequently imported into the UK, confirm with your customs broker whether its cost not already included in the seller's price needs to be included in the bottles' customs value. Keep the tooling invoice and the agreed apportionment method with your customs records.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping or countervailing duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Glass bottle blank moulds | 8480 50 00 00 | 0% | None |
Specify the bottle and the forming machine
Send the bottle drawing and the forming machine interface drawings together. Specify the forming process, bottle profile, neck finish, embossing, mould material and hardness, cavity finish, venting, cooling arrangement and mounting dimensions. Identify which blank moulds, blow moulds and associated tooling the quotation includes. For separately sourced bases, see our guide to sourcing mould bases.
Agree a bottle trial using the intended glass and production settings. Ask for bottle measurements, wall distribution checks, photographs of seams and embossing, and the trial process sheet. Put ownership, permitted use, maintenance responsibility and removal arrangements in the tooling agreement.
Suppliers must supply safe work equipment. Ask the factory for handling, fitting and maintenance information, and review lifting arrangements and access around the installed mould with the production team.
Worked duty example
Illustrative example, not a quote: An illustrative glass bottle mould set for a small bottle production business under 8480 50 00 00, invoiced at £20,000 free on board, with £2,000 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £22,000. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £22,000, so it is £4,400. 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
Material: match certificates and hardness results to the agreed mould material; inspect cavities for porosity, damage and repair marks.
Machine fit: measure mounting faces, locating features and mating surfaces against the interface drawings; check that matched halves close correctly.
Bottle trial: compare bottle profile, neck finish, seams, embossing and wall distribution with the approved drawing and sample.
Arrival condition: check for corrosion, chipped edges and blocked vents; match mould identification, drawings and spare tooling to the packing list.
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What goes wrong
A bottle drawing alone does not settle machine fit. Incorrect mounting dimensions can prevent installation, while mismatched halves leave pronounced seams. Poor venting or cavity finish can spoil the bottle surface; an unrepresentative trial can hide wall distribution problems.
Agree acceptance against measured trial bottles and the machine interface drawings before dispatch. Photograph and identify the tooling, retain the trial settings, and settle who corrects defects. Use quality inspection guidance to organise the inspection record.
Cambridge China Bridge sources these products for UK businesses, checking the factory and the documents before shipment. See factory verification. For machinery and equipment, see machinery imports.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UK import duty on glass bottle moulds from China?
The supplied tariff record shows 0% duty under 8480 50 00 00, with no anti-dumping or countervailing duty, suspension or attached import control.
Does a bottle drawing give the factory enough information?
Include machine interface drawings, the forming process, mould material, neck finish, venting and cooling details, plus agreed bottle trial checks.
What if my glass bottle mould stays in China?
If you provide it to make bottles imported into the UK, confirm with your customs broker whether its cost not already included in the seller's price needs to be included in the bottles' customs value.
How should I approve a glass bottle mould?
Check machine fit and material records, then assess trial bottles against the drawing for profile, neck finish, seams, embossing and wall distribution. Retain the trial settings.