Pepper and dried chillies from China

0% to 8%, with suspensions on ground spice

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 26 September 2026, whole pepper of the genus Piper and whole dried chillies and other Capsicum carried 0% duty on goods from China, crushed or ground pepper and crushed or ground Capsicum 4%, and whole dried sweet peppers 8%, with no anti-dumping measure. Suspensions give 0% to crushed or ground Piper nigrum pepper and to crushed or ground Capsicum peppers until 30 June 2027, and from 5 August 2026 a named product on the whole sweet pepper line under an additional code; none applies to mixtures.

Chilli sauces, spice blends and seasonings are preparations classified elsewhere, and ginger, turmeric and curry powder are in heading 0910, covered in our spices, ginger and turmeric guide. Confirm the commodity code from the species and whether the product is whole or ground.

Contaminants, residues and labels

Retained Regulation (EC) No 1881/2006 sets maximum levels for aflatoxins and ochratoxin A in spices, including Capsicum and pepper, and retained Regulation (EC) No 396/2005 sets maximum residue levels for pesticides, so every lot should be tested before it leaves China. Chilli products have also been found with illegal Sudan dyes in the past, so ask for a dye screen on powders and flakes.

Check the current GOV.UK list of high-risk food and feed not of animal origin for chilli and pepper from China before booking, because listed goods need pre-notification and border checks. Irradiated spices must come from an approved facility and be labelled as irradiated, and retail packs need a name, ingredients where blended, net quantity and a UK or GB business address.

Worked duty example

A hypothetical order, not a quote: 5 tonnes of whole dried sweet peppers (paprika pods) under 0904 21 10 00, bought for £15,000 free on board with £1,500 of freight and insurance, so the customs value is £16,500. Duty at 8% is £1,320. Dried spices are food and zero-rated for VAT, so no import VAT is due, and the landed cost before clearance fees is £17,820. The same weight of crushed chilli under 0904 22 00 19 would enter at 0% until 30 June 2027 under the suspension. See UK import duty and VAT for the method.

What goes wrong

Spice lots fail on contamination and quality. Chillies dried slowly or stored damp develop aflatoxin or ochratoxin A above the limits; pesticide residues exceed GB levels; ground spice is bulked out with stalks, seeds or other material; colour and pungency vary between lots; and pepper carries Salmonella, stones or insect damage.

Test each lot at an accredited laboratory for aflatoxins, ochratoxin A, a pesticide multi-residue screen, Sudan and other illegal dyes and Salmonella, measure moisture, colour value in ASTA units for paprika and pungency for chilli against the specification, check for foreign matter and insect damage, and keep a sealed reference sample from each lot.

Cambridge China Bridge sources whole and ground pepper, dried chillies, chilli flakes and paprika for food manufacturers, wholesalers and restaurant groups, with lot testing agreed before shipment. See our second-supplier service.