Sourcing Perilla Seed Oil from China
Perilla seed oil from China carries 2% to 8% UK duty across the relevant liquid-oil lines; food-use oil carries 6% when crude and 8% otherwise. Before food sale in Great Britain, the business must verify whether novel food rules cover its product. Cambridge China Bridge sources perilla seed oil.
Perilla seed oil duty by processing and use
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 30 September 2026, heading 1515 covers other fixed vegetable or microbial oils and their fractions, whether refined or not, without chemical modification. For liquid perilla seed oil from China, the relevant crude food-use line carries 6% and the other food-use line 8%; technical or industrial lines excluding food manufacture carry 2% when crude and 4% otherwise. The supplied lines show no anti-dumping or countervailing duty.
The 8% other-oil line has a narrowly defined suspension for oils meeting specified arachidonic acid or docosahexaenoic acid composition, not a general perilla oil exemption. The selected lines attach CITES and waste import and export controls; food-use lines also attach organic import control. Confirm CITES applicability with your customs broker. Listed specimens require permits for movement into or out of Great Britain. For waste subject to notification controls entering England, shipment requires consent from the relevant authorities.
Organic food consignments from China entering Great Britain need a certificate of inspection issued by the exporter's control body; check that body and country against the non-UK organic registers. Give your broker the botanical identity, processing record, composition and intended use to confirm the commodity code and any conditions for the technical-use lines. For the wider heading, see sesame oil and tung oil.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping or countervailing duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crude liquid perilla seed oil, other than technical or industrial use | 1515 90 59 00 | 6% | None |
| Other liquid perilla seed oil, including refined oil, other than technical use | 1515 90 99 99 | 8% | None |
| Crude perilla seed oil for technical or industrial use, excluding food manufacture | 1515 90 40 00 | 2% | None |
| Other perilla seed oil for technical or industrial use, excluding food manufacture | 1515 90 60 00 | 4% | None |
Specify the seed oil and its intended use
Specify oil pressed or extracted from perilla seeds, rather than leaf essential oil. Record the botanical identity, seed origin, extraction method, roasting treatment and refining stages. State whether the product is pure oil or contains other oils, flavourings or antioxidants. Agree colour, aroma, fatty acid profile, acid value, peroxide value, storage conditions and remaining shelf life at arrival.
Before food sale in Great Britain, verify whether the exact product and intended use fall under novel food rules. Novel foods need authorisation before being placed on that market. Do not treat overseas consumption or a supplier's food-grade description as proof of status. If uncertainty remains after researching the official resources, submit the formal novelty clarification request.
Agree sealed, light-protective packaging, closure compatibility and batch identification. Ask for evidence that packaging is suitable for contact with edible oil; food-contact packaging is controlled by legislation in Great Britain. Match the laboratory report to the actual production lot. Agree independent sampling and testing through testing and certification.
Worked duty example
Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 5 tonnes of refined liquid perilla seed oil in sealed drums under 1515 90 99 99, invoiced at £18,000 free on board, with £1,500 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £19,500. Duty at 8% is £1,560. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £21,060, so it is £4,212. Import taxes total £5,772; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £1,560 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
Identity: compare the batch fatty acid profile with an authenticated perilla seed oil reference and the agreed specification; investigate evidence of blending.
Freshness: check acid value, peroxide value, colour and aroma against agreed acceptance criteria, using retained samples for comparison.
Packing: inspect drum or bottle seals, leakage, liner condition and signs of contamination; compare storage and transport records with the supplier's agreed conditions.
Documents: match batch marks to analysis reports, invoices and packing records; review retail label artwork and any organic certificate of inspection before dispatch.
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What goes wrong
Failure points include seed oil being confused with leaf essential oil, undeclared blending, rancid odour, inconsistent roasting and leaking closures. A favourable sample does not establish the quality of the shipment. Sample the production lot, retain a sealed reference and compare arrival results with the agreed specification.
Paperwork problems arise when crude and refined oil are treated as interchangeable, food use is declared as technical use, or organic claims arrive without the appropriate documents. Missing confirmation of food status can also leave stock unsuitable for the intended sale. Resolve classification and status before ordering; use the quality inspection guide to define shipment checks.
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 perilla seed oil from China?
The relevant liquid food-use lines carry 6% for crude oil and 8% for other oil. Technical or industrial lines excluding food manufacture carry 2% when crude and 4% otherwise. Confirm the exact classification.
Can I sell Chinese perilla seed oil as food in Great Britain?
Verify whether the exact product and intended use fall under novel food rules before sale. Novel foods require authorisation. A supplier's food-grade description does not resolve that question.
What documents do I need for organic perilla seed oil?
For imports from China into Great Britain, obtain a certificate of inspection for each organic food consignment and check the exporter's control body and country against the non-UK organic registers.
How do I check that perilla seed oil is pure and fresh?
Test the production lot's fatty acid profile against an authenticated reference, and check acid value, peroxide value, colour and aroma against your agreed specification. Match reports to the shipped batch.