Sourcing sake from China
Sake from China carries UK customs duty of £4.80 to £16.00 per hectolitre, depending on container size and whether it is still or sparkling. Alcohol Duty is separate and based on pure alcohol. Organic sake needs an inspection certificate. Cambridge China Bridge sources sake.
Sake duty depends on container size and carbonation
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 29 September 2026, heading 2206 covers other fermented beverages, including sake, and certain beverage mixtures. The sake-relevant lines charge £6.40 per hectolitre for still sake in containers holding 2 litres or less, £4.80 for larger containers and £16.00 for sparkling sake. The filtered and cloudy examples share a commodity code; cloudiness does not create a separate line in the supplied facts.
The supplied sake lines show no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no customs duty suspension. They attach an organic import control. Sake sold as organic needs an inspection certificate; the exporter’s control body issues it. Check the relevant country and control body against the recognised organic registers, and have your customs broker and organic control body confirm the shipment requirements for China before dispatch.
Alcohol Duty is separate from customs duty and is based on pure alcohol. Confirm the commodity code using the recipe, production method, carbonation and container capacity. No percentage-duty worked example applies to these sake lines. See the Shaoxing rice wine guide for another product within this heading and the duty and VAT guide for landed-cost planning.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping or countervailing duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Still filtered sake, containers holding 2 litres or less | 2206 00 59 00 | £6.40 per hl | None |
| Still sake, containers holding more than 2 litres | 2206 00 89 00 | £4.80 per hl | None |
| Sparkling sake | 2206 00 39 00 | £16.00 per hl | None |
Specify the sake brewing and storage profile
Specify rice variety, rice polishing, fermentation method, whether brewing alcohol is added, sweetness, acidity and aroma. Agree whether the sake is filtered or cloudy, still or sparkling, pasteurised or unpasteurised. Approve a retained sample and define acceptable sediment for cloudy sake rather than treating all sediment as a defect.
Agree bottle capacity, closure, light protection, storage temperature, transport conditions and shelf life supported by the producer’s evidence. Labels need the product name, net quantity and UK business name and address; drinks over 1.2% alcohol by volume must state their strength, and allergen information is required. For UK wholesale sales at or after the duty point, confirm whether Alcohol Wholesaler Registration Scheme approval is needed before trading.
Inspection checklist
Liquid: compare aroma, sweetness, acidity, colour and sediment with the approved sample; test alcoholic strength against the specification and label.
Process: match the batch records to the agreed filtration and pasteurisation method; review storage and transport records for temperature-sensitive sake.
Packing: check fill levels, leaking closures, broken glass, carton dividers and sparkling bottle suitability against the agreed specification.
Labels and documents: check product identity, alcoholic strength, allergen information, UK business details and batch references; match any organic inspection certificate to the shipment.
What goes wrong
A clear sake sample can become a cloudy delivery when filtration changes, while deliberately cloudy sake can be rejected because the buyer never agreed its sediment profile. Heat exposure can alter aroma and colour. Unplanned fermentation can cause pressure, leakage or a flavour change. Record the intended appearance and preservation method before approving production.
Buyers can also mistake the customs charge for the full alcohol tax bill, accept labels that miss UK information, or order organic stock without the certificate route being settled. Check the brewery through factory verification and use a batch-specific inspection plan.
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 sake from China?
Still sake pays £6.40 per hectolitre in containers holding 2 litres or less, or £4.80 in larger containers. Sparkling sake pays £16.00 per hectolitre. Alcohol Duty is separate.
Is sake customs duty a percentage of its value?
No. The supplied sake lines charge per hectolitre. Container capacity and whether the sake is still or sparkling determine the relevant line.
Can I import organic sake from China?
Arrange the organic inspection certificate and check the recognised country and control body listings. Have your customs broker and organic control body confirm the shipment requirements before ordering.
What should I specify for unpasteurised sake?
Agree storage temperature, transport conditions, shelf life and the producer’s supporting evidence. Check batch records and arrival samples for unexpected pressure, leakage or flavour changes.