Sourcing glass jam jars from China

UK duty on glass jam jars

Heading 7010 covers glass containers used to convey or pack goods, preserving jars and glass closures. Ordinary jam-packing jars are distinguished by capacity; preserving or sterilising jars have a separate line. The glass-closure line covers glass lids, so do not use it for separately imported metal twist-off caps. See the wider glass storage jar guide.

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 30 September 2026, all selected lines carried 0% ordinary duty for goods from China. The selected jar lines also show 52.97% residual provisional anti-dumping duty and anti-dumping or countervailing registration. HMRC registers the goods covered by the registration notice; ask your customs broker to confirm the declaration treatment. Separately imported glass closures show neither measure. No suspensions are listed.

Confirm the commodity code using nominal capacity, intended use and whether the product is a preserving jar. The reference guides report lower anti-dumping rates for named or co-operating exporters with the required signed invoice declaration. Have your broker verify the exporter and applicable rate before accepting a landed-cost quotation.

Specify the jam jar and filling process

Specify nominal and brim capacity, fill line, neck finish, dimensions, glass colour, label panel and closure type. For twist-off lids, agree the cap lining and fit with the jar supplier. Keep an approved jar-and-lid sample, and ask for food-contact suitability evidence covering the supplied glass, decoration and closure.

If you fill jam yourself, you must use packaging suitable for food use. Tell the supplier your jam recipe, filling temperature, cooling process and storage conditions. Trial production samples through your actual filling process, checking cracking, leakage and seal retention before approving bulk production.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order of 500 glass jam jars; provisional anti-dumping duty is additional under 7010 90 61 00, invoiced at £2,400 free on board, with £500 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £2,900. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £2,900, so it is £580. 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: inspect rims, threads, bases and walls for chips, cracks, sharp edges and visible inclusions; compare colour and dimensions with the approved sample.

Capacity: measure fill and brim capacity against the specification, and check that the label panel suits your artwork.

Closure: fit supplied lids across sampled jars, checking engagement, lining condition, leakage and seal retention after the agreed filling and cooling trial.

Arrival: open cartons from across the delivery, check dividers and breakage, and hold chipped jars or packs containing loose glass apart from usable stock.

What goes wrong

A lid can fit the sample but fail on production jars when the neck finish changes. Uneven glass or an unsuitable filling process can cause cracks, while damaged rims prevent reliable sealing. Check the jar and closure as an assembled pack rather than approving them separately.

Poor dividers allow jars to strike each other in transit. Record damaged cartons and keep affected stock apart. A quotation showing only ordinary duty also understates the tariff position where provisional anti-dumping duty applies.

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.