Sourcing hand dishwashing liquids from China
Hand dishwashing liquids from China carry 4% UK duty on the selected washing and cleaning preparation lines, with no anti-dumping or countervailing duty shown. Domestic detergent ingredient information must be available on a public website. Cambridge China Bridge sources hand dishwashing liquids.
4% duty on washing-up liquid
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 30 September 2026, heading 3402 covers organic surface-active agents other than soap, surface-active preparations, washing preparations and cleaning preparations. For hand dishwashing liquid, start with the retail washing and cleaning preparation line or its non-retail counterpart, then check the formulation and presentation.
The selected lines show 4% duty for goods from China, with no anti-dumping or countervailing measures and no attached import controls. The washing and cleaning preparation lines have no suspension. The other non-retail surface-active preparation line has a suspension restricted to specified preparations; do not assume ordinary washing-up liquid qualifies. Raw surfactant lines elsewhere in the heading carry waste controls: the tariff attaches these controls, and the importer should confirm their requirements with a customs broker.
Confirm the commodity code using the composition, intended use and retail or bulk packaging. The table provides classification candidates, not interchangeable codes. For the wider heading, see our dishwasher detergent tablet guide.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping or countervailing duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retail washing and cleaning preparations, including washing-up liquid | 3402 50 90 00 | 4% | None |
| Non-retail washing and cleaning preparations, including bulk washing-up liquid | 3402 90 90 00 | 4% | None |
| Retail surface-active preparations, where supported by the formulation | 3402 50 10 00 | 4% | None |
| Other non-retail surface-active preparations, where composition supports this code | 3402 90 10 90 | 4% | None |
Specify the liquid and its dispensing pack
Specify hand dishwashing use, ready-to-use or concentrated formulation, surfactant composition, fragrance, colour, viscosity, acidity, preservative system and dilution instructions. Agree a grease-removal and rinsing comparison using your intended water conditions. Ask for formulation-specific surfactant biodegradability reports and stability results, rather than accepting a general factory brochure.
For domestic detergents, an ingredient data sheet must be available on a public website. Agree responsibility for keeping that information aligned with the supplied formula. Confirm with HSE which classification, labelling, packaging and safety data sheet requirements apply to the mixture and its intended supply, including workplace use. Review the formula and artwork through testing and certification.
Specify bottle material, closure, dispensing opening, nominal fill, seal, carton arrangement and batch identification. Keep an approved sample with its formula and artwork revision so that inspection compares the shipment against the actual order.
Worked duty example
Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative trial order of palletised retail bottles of hand dishwashing liquid under 3402 50 90 00, invoiced at £2,200 free on board, with £1,168 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £3,368. Duty at 4% is £134.72. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £3,502.72, so it is £700.54. Import taxes total £835.26; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £134.72 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.
Inspection checklist
Formula: compare the batch documents, colour, fragrance, viscosity and acidity against the approved specification.
Cleaning: check grease removal, foam behaviour and rinsing at the agreed dilution and water conditions; look for film on glass and plates.
Packaging: check fill, cap fit, seal integrity, dispensing and leakage after handling; examine cartons for wet patches.
Documents: match the supplied formula to the safety information, label artwork, public ingredient information and batch identification. Use our quality inspection guide to plan sampling.
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What goes wrong
A liquid can look thick yet remove grease poorly. Fragrance and colour can drift, the formula can separate during storage, and an unsuitable closure can leak through the carton. Compare cleaning and rinsing performance as well as appearance, and repeat the agreed stability and packaging checks on production samples.
Formula substitutions can leave the ingredient website and safety information describing a different product. Require approval before changes and hold affected stock while the formula, documents and artwork are reconciled.
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 hand dishwashing liquid from China?
The selected washing and cleaning preparation lines carry 4% duty for goods from China. No anti-dumping or countervailing duty is shown in the supplied tariff data.
Which commodity code covers bottled washing-up liquid?
3402 50 90 00 is the retail washing and cleaning preparation candidate. Confirm it against the formulation and presentation; bulk supplies have a separate candidate line.
Does washing-up liquid need an ingredient website?
For domestic detergents, an edited ingredient data sheet must be available on a public website. Keep it aligned with the formula actually supplied.
How do I check washing-up liquid quality?
Compare grease removal and rinsing with the approved sample under agreed water conditions. Check viscosity, acidity, fragrance, stability, fill and bottle leakage.