Sourcing Potassium Bicarbonate from China

Potassium carbonates: 4% duty

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 6 November 2026, heading 2836 covers carbonates and peroxocarbonates, including commercial ammonium carbonate containing ammonium carbamate. Its potassium carbonates line, 2836 40 00 00, carries 4% duty from China, with no listed anti-dumping or countervailing measure and no suspension. The related compounds in the table are comparison lines, not alternative names for potassium bicarbonate.

The tariff attaches import waste control and export waste control to this line. If the Chinese consignment is waste subject to notification controls and is destined for England, the exporter must apply to the competent authority in the dispatch country for consent. Ask your customs broker to confirm the applicable waste requirements and the relevance of the export measure before shipment.

Confirm the commodity code using the chemical identity, composition and intended presentation. Do not rely on a supplier's shortened description of 'potassium carbonate'. See the potassium carbonate guide for the wider potassium carbonates line.

Specify bicarbonate identity and batch quality

Write potassium bicarbonate in full on the purchase specification and ask for a matching chemical identity on the batch certificate. Agree the intended grade, assay basis, moisture, insoluble matter, particle size and impurity limits, including sodium, chloride and iron. For food use, ask the supplier to identify the specification supporting its food-grade claim before accepting a sample.

Identify and manage the risks presented by substances you place on the market in Great Britain. Ask for the safety data sheet and settle your UK REACH position before ordering; confirm applicable registration requirements with HSE. Agree independent batch testing through testing and certification.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 20 tonnes of potassium bicarbonate under 2836 40 00 00, invoiced at £22,000 free on board, with £2,500 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £24,500. Duty at 4% is £980. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £25,480, so it is £5,096. Import taxes total £6,076; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £980 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Identity: match the order, bag description and batch certificate; ask the laboratory to distinguish bicarbonate from carbonate.

Assay: check the reported basis and test method, then compare an independently tested sample with the agreed purity and impurity specification.

Packing: inspect bag seals, inner liners, damp patches, caking and net weight before accepting the delivery.

Traceability: match bag batch marks to certificates and retained samples. Define sampling and acceptance checks in the inspection brief.

What goes wrong

A quotation headed 'potassium carbonate' can conceal an identity mismatch. Other failures include an assay reported on a different basis, a certificate covering another batch, excessive sodium or chloride, and moisture-damaged bags. A food-grade claim alone does not establish that the delivered batch matches your intended specification.

Approve a representative sample and agree the test methods before production. On arrival, separate suspect bags, retain samples and compare the delivery with its batch records before using it. Resolve identity or grade disputes with laboratory results rather than another copy of the supplier's certificate.

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.