Sourcing linden honey from China

Linden honey duty and import controls

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 3 November 2026, heading 0409 covers natural honey. Linden honey falls under 0409 00 00 90, with 16% duty on goods from China. The supplied facts show no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no suspension for this line. The presentations below share this commodity code; they are not separate tariff subdivisions.

The tariff attaches veterinary control, including presentation of a common health entry document for animal products. For Great Britain, arrange a health certificate and confirm IPAFFS pre-notification and the appropriate border entry arrangements with APHA or your customs broker. Check country eligibility, the approved residue monitoring plan and registration of the producing or packing establishment by the Chinese competent authority before ordering. Ask your customs broker to confirm any China-specific residue documentation for the shipment.

The tariff also attaches an organic-products import control. Confirm its requirements with your customs broker and organic control body before ordering organic linden honey. The exporter’s control body issues the certificate of inspection. Confirm the commodity code for the exact product; honey preparations may fall elsewhere. For wider heading context, see the acacia honey guide.

Specify the linden origin and finished texture

Write linden honey into the purchase specification and ask the supplier to identify the botanical source, harvest area, collection records and any blending. Agree a retained reference sample for aroma, flavour, colour and texture. Specify liquid, creamed or comb presentation, filtration and heating history, and bulk drums or retail jars.

Ask a specialist laboratory to assess the floral claim through pollen analysis alongside authenticity and composition testing. Agree batch tests for moisture, hydroxymethylfurfural, diastase activity and veterinary-drug and pesticide residues. Colour or a supplier’s product name alone should not settle acceptance. Confirm country-of-origin labelling and suitable food-contact packaging before approving artwork.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative wholesale order: 20 tonnes of linden honey in bulk drums under 0409 00 00 90, invoiced at £42,000 free on board, with £3,500 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £45,500. Duty at 16% is £7,280. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £52,780, so it is £10,556. Import taxes total £17,836; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £7,280 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step. This assumes the goods are standard-rated for VAT. Most food for human consumption is zero-rated, and animal feed can be too, in which case no import VAT is due, so check the rate for your product in HMRC's VAT Notice 701/14.

Inspection checklist

Floral identity: match the linden claim, harvest records and laboratory findings to the delivered batch; compare aroma, flavour and texture with the retained sample.

Composition and authenticity: match batch numbers to reports for added syrups, moisture, hydroxymethylfurfural, diastase activity and residues; investigate missing or mismatched reports.

Packaging: check drum linings, jar closures, seals, leaks and lot marks; compare the delivered presentation with the agreed liquid, creamed or comb specification.

Documents and labels: match establishment details and health documents to the shipment, check country-of-origin wording and resolve organic paperwork before release. Arrange quality inspection around these checks.

What goes wrong

A batch can be genuine honey yet lack convincing support for the linden claim. Mixed collection lots, blending or records that stop at the packer leave the buyer unable to connect the floral description to the honey delivered. Keep sealed batch samples and resolve conflicting records or test results before approving the label.

Added syrup, excess moisture and overheating are separate failure risks. Wet honey can ferment; heating can damage quality and raise hydroxymethylfurfural. On arrival, investigate leaking containers, fermented odours, unexpected texture and broken seals against the retained sample and batch reports.

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.