Sourcing hand sanitiser from China

Hand sanitiser duty and conditional relief

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 5 December 2026, heading 3808 covers disinfectants alongside pesticides and similar preparations. This guide concerns hand sanitiser. The table repeats the other-disinfectants code for different formats: liquid, gel and wipes do not necessarily have different codes. Classification depends on composition and presentation.

The selected lines show 6% standard duty for goods from China, no recorded anti-dumping or countervailing duty, and a conditional 0.00 % autonomous suspension. Its wording covers alcohol hand sanitiser and specified disinfectant preparations, including retail rubs and impregnated wipes. Ask your broker to confirm eligibility before claiming relief; the supplied suspension footnotes are truncated.

For 3808 94 90 90, the tariff attaches fluorinated greenhouse gas, mercury and waste import controls, plus waste export controls. Ask your customs broker to confirm the requirements and declarations for the actual goods, including any proposed return shipment. Confirm the commodity code using the full formulation and packaging. See the liquid hand soap guide for related hand-cleaning products.

Specify the hand sanitiser formula and dispensing pack

Specify the active substance, concentration and measurement basis, liquid or gel format, intended users, application instructions, contact time, fragrance, fill quantity and remaining shelf life on arrival. Agree batch assay, stability and dispensing checks. For wipes, specify the substrate, wetness and resealable closure. Keep an approved formulation and finished-pack sample.

Before ordering, confirm with HSE whether the exact product needs authorisation or can use a valid transitional route. Active-substance status determines the route; substances still under review may not yet require product authorisation. Check the relevant supplier listing where required. Match evidence to the complete formulation and intended use through testing and certification support.

For authorised biocidal products, packaging and labelling requirements apply. Compare artwork with the applicable product documents and review chemical labels and safety data sheets where required. Agree the bottle material, pump output, cap seal and transport packaging before production.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order of 600 bottles of hand sanitiser; confirm suspension eligibility under 3808 94 90 90, invoiced at £3,000 free on board, with £600 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £3,600. Duty at 6% is £216. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £3,816, so it is £763.20. Import taxes total £979.20; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £216 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Formulation: match batch identity and active-content results to the agreed formula, including whether concentration is expressed by mass or volume.

Condition: check gel separation, cloudiness, residue and dispensing consistency; check wipes for drying and uneven wetting.

Packaging: check fill quantity, pump operation, cap security, seals and leakage after the agreed transport test.

Documents: compare labels, instructions, batch references and expiry information with approved artwork and product documents. Set the sampling brief using the quality inspection guide.

What goes wrong

A supplier changes the alcohol, thickener or fragrance while sending documents for the original formula. Evidence for an ingredient or another sanitiser does not establish the purchased product's supply route. Require written agreement before substitutions and review the changed formulation before accepting production.

Leaking closures, evaporative loss, separated gel and pumps that stick can undermine an otherwise acceptable sample. Check packed production stock and repeat the agreed checks on arrival. Hold mismatched batches while investigating. Do not assume the tariff suspension establishes permission to sell the product.

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.