Sourcing liquorice extract from China

Zero duty on liquorice extract

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 30 September 2026, liquorice extract under 1302 12 00 00 carries 0% duty for goods from China. The supplied tariff record lists no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no suspension. The product forms shown in the table share this commodity line; they are not separate tariff subdivisions.

The tariff attaches an organic products import control. For organic food from China into Great Britain, obtain a certificate of inspection for each consignment and check that the exporter's control body and country of export appear on the non-UK organic registers. The exporter's control body issues the certificate.

Confirm the commodity code using the composition, processing and intended use. Extracts formulated into supplements or flavourings may classify elsewhere. See the wider plant extracts guide for other products within this heading.

Specify the liquorice extract, not just its ratio

Name the botanical species, plant part and extraction solvent. Specify powder, paste or liquid, glycyrrhizin content and assay method, moisture or solids content, solubility and any carriers or added ingredients. Ask the supplier to distinguish the extraction ratio from the measured marker content.

Agree a reference sample and test the extract in your intended recipe for flavour, colour and dispersion. For food use, ask the relevant food authority to confirm novel food status and any authorisation requirements. If the extract is presented as treating or preventing disease, ask MHRA to confirm its regulatory status and any applicable medicine requirements. Settle intended use and claims before ordering.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 2 tonnes of liquorice extract paste under 1302 12 00 00, invoiced at £16,000 free on board, with £900 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £16,900. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £16,900, so it is £3,380. 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

Identity: compare the botanical declaration, ingredient list and batch analysis with the approved specification; check for undeclared fillers.

Strength: verify glycyrrhizin against the agreed assay and compare moisture or solids, colour and dissolution with the retained sample.

Contaminants: arrange batch testing for pesticides, heavy metals, residual extraction solvents and microbiology through testing and certification.

Arrival: check seals, damaged liners, moisture ingress, powder caking and batch references. For organic food, match the consignment to its certificate of inspection.

What goes wrong

A quoted extraction ratio can hide weak marker content or dilution with carriers. An approved sample may disperse well while the delivered powder cakes or the paste has different solids. Put the assay method and acceptance criteria in the purchase specification, and retain samples for comparison.

A food-grade description does not settle novel food status or permit medicinal claims. Organic paperwork also needs attention before shipment. Hold a disputed batch apart while investigating identity, analysis or document mismatches.

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.