Sourcing pram carrycots from China

UK duty on pram carrycots

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 1 October 2026, heading 8715 covers baby carriages and their parts. Both supplied commodity lines carry 2% duty for goods from China, with no anti-dumping or countervailing measures and no suspensions recorded.

The tariff snapshot attaches a DCMS Export Licence measure to both lines. Official guidance describes this as an export licence for objects of cultural interest leaving Great Britain. Ask your customs broker to confirm how the listed measure applies to your shipment from China.

The table repeats the parts line for different carrycot components; these are proposed descriptions, not separate tariff subdivisions. Confirm the commodity code using the goods as supplied. See the prams and pushchairs guide for the wider heading.

Specify the carrycot and its frame connection

Define whether the order contains a detachable carrycot, a carrycot with its frame, or replacement parts. Record compatible frame models, attachment geometry, release controls, carrying handles, base construction, mattress dimensions, lining materials and washable components. Keep an approved assembled sample, including every adapter.

Products placed on the Great Britain market must be safe under the General Product Safety Regulations 2005. Ask an accredited laboratory to agree the test scope for the carrycot's intended uses, including carrying and attachment to the frame. Request a report matching the actual shell, handles, mattress and adapters. Settle the scope through testing and certification before production.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative wholesale order of detachable pram carrycots; classification to be confirmed under 8715 00 90 00, invoiced at £8,000 free on board, with £1,560 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £9,560. Duty at 2% is £191.20. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £9,751.20, so it is £1,950.24. Import taxes total £2,141.44; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £191.20 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Attachments: fit production carrycots to each specified frame and adapter; check engagement, release operation, movement and visible damage against the approved sample and test report.

Handles and base: check handle fixings, stitching, shell joints and base support; repeat the relevant checks recorded in the report during quality inspection.

Mattress and lining: compare mattress fit, firmness, cover construction and lining attachment with the approved sample; look for gaps, loose fabric, exposed fasteners and detachable trims.

Instructions and packing: check that English assembly instructions identify compatible frames and explain attachment and release; inspect arriving cartons for crushed shells, distorted bases, damp linings and missing adapters.

What goes wrong

A carrycot can appear to fit while its locks do not fully engage. An adapter change, altered shell moulding or different handle fixing can make the approved sample unrepresentative of production. Record these details in the purchase specification and compare delivered goods with the tested configuration.

A replacement mattress or thicker lining can change the internal fit. Do not approve substitutions from photographs alone. Ask for an assembled sample and have the laboratory review changes affecting safety before accepting the revised configuration.

Cambridge China Bridge sources these products for UK businesses, checking the factory and the documents before shipment. See factory verification. For machinery and equipment, see machinery imports.