Sourcing mooncakes from China
The relevant bakery lines carry 8% UK duty from China, with no trade remedy or suspension recorded. Milk-containing confectionery from China is prohibited, so do not order dairy mooncakes for Great Britain. Egg fillings need a recipe-specific import check. Cambridge China Bridge sources mooncakes.
Mooncake duty and recipe-dependent controls
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 17 October 2026, heading 1905 covers bakers' wares, including cakes and pastry. The selected lines all carry 8% duty from China, with no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no suspension recorded. The biscuit rows are conditional alternatives for products actually classified as biscuits, rather than default codes for filled cakes.
The tariff attaches veterinary control, a restriction on entry into free circulation and organic import control to these lines. The other biscuit and cake lines also attach a genetically modified organism control concerning rice products. Confirm each applicable requirement with your customs broker before shipping, especially for egg-yolk fillings, rice-based products or organic claims. Milk-containing confectionery from China is prohibited.
Give the broker the complete recipe, sugar composition, filling ingredients and manufacturing process to confirm the commodity code. Do not assume an unbaked snow-skin mooncake follows the baked-cake classification. For the rest of the heading, see biscuits, cakes and bakery.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping or countervailing duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baked mooncakes containing at least 5% sucrose, invert sugar or isoglucose | 1905 90 70 00 | 8% | None |
| Other baked mooncakes, subject to recipe classification | 1905 90 80 00 | 8% | None |
| Other sweet biscuits, only for mooncake products classified as biscuits | 1905 31 99 00 | 8% | None |
| Other biscuits, only for mooncake products classified as biscuits | 1905 90 45 00 | 8% | None |
Specify the crust, filling and storage conditions
Specify baked or snow-skin construction, lotus seed or bean paste, nuts, sesame, egg yolk and any animal ingredients. Obtain the complete recipe for the crust, filling and surface glaze, including bought-in pastes. Agree crust thickness, filling distribution, individual weight, sweetness, oil migration and the approved sample's texture.
Do not order milk-containing mooncakes from China for Great Britain. Treat salted egg yolk, meat fillings and chilled products as separate import checks, rather than assuming every mooncake is an exempt cake. Composite products exempt from import controls must still travel with a commercial document from the exporter.
Agree ambient or chilled storage, packaging barriers, seal integrity and remaining shelf life on arrival. Ask for shelf-life evidence for the actual recipe and pack. Confirm food business registration requirements with your local authority, and ask Trading Standards to review English labels for ingredients with allergens emphasised, net weight, date marking and a UK address.
Worked duty example
Illustrative example, not a quote: 12 tonnes of plant-based baked mooncakes for a food distributor (illustrative) under 1905 90 70 00, invoiced at £20,000 free on board, with £2,500 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £22,500. Duty at 8% is £1,800. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £24,300, so it is £4,860. Import taxes total £6,660; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £1,800 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
Recipe: compare production records and bought-in filling specifications with the approved recipe, including yolk, milk, butter, nuts and sesame.
Condition: cut sampled mooncakes to check filling distribution, yolk placement, crust separation, oil leakage and foreign matter; check for mould and rancid odours.
Labels: compare the English ingredient list and emphasised allergens with the signed recipe; check net weight, dates, storage instructions and UK address.
Packaging: inspect individual seals, trays and gift boxes for crushing and leaks; check batch identification and remaining shelf life during quality inspection.
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What goes wrong
A filling supplier changes the paste or glaze without updating the recipe. Milk powder or butter then appears in a product ordered as dairy-free, creating an import problem as well as an allergen mismatch. Keep approval of ingredient changes in the purchase specification and compare production evidence with the approved sample.
Gift boxes can hide cracked crusts, leaking oil or poorly sealed individual packs. Warm storage can expose rancidity or filling separation before the declared date. Examine the food inside the presentation box and retain samples in the agreed storage conditions.
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 mooncakes from China?
The selected heading 1905 bakery lines carry 8% duty from China. No trade remedy or suspension is recorded. Confirm the exact code from the recipe and manufacturing process.
Can I import custard mooncakes containing milk from China?
Milk-containing confectionery from China is prohibited. Do not order milk-containing custard mooncakes for Great Britain.
Can I import salted egg-yolk mooncakes?
Have the recipe, egg processing and ingredient origin checked before ordering. Animal ingredients can bring composite-product controls; do not assume a cake exemption applies.
What should I check when mooncakes arrive?
Check individual seals, cracked crusts, oil leakage, filling condition, date coding, remaining shelf life and English labels against the approved recipe. Inspect inside the gift boxes.