Sourcing seaweed and algae from China

0% duty

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 4 November 2026, heading 1212 splits seaweeds and other algae into those fit for human consumption and others, fresh or not. All three lines carried 0% on goods from China, with no anti-dumping measure. The tariff also carries an organic control measure, which matters only if you sell the seaweed as organic.

Seaweed snacks and other prepared seaweed foods may be classified as food preparations rather than under 1212, and algae extracts such as agar and alginates have their own headings; confirm the commodity code.

Food safety comes first

Seaweed sold for food must be safe under UK general food law, and the importer is responsible for that. Government guidance records that a 2004 survey of seaweed imported into the UK found significant inorganic arsenic in hijiki, and that the Food Standards Agency issued warnings against eating it in 2004 and 2010.

Ask for laboratory results for each lot covering arsenic (including inorganic arsenic), heavy metals such as cadmium and lead, and iodine, and label brown seaweeds with preparation and serving guidance. Prepared seaweed foods are covered in our food preparations guide.

Specifying seaweed

Specify the species and its Latin name, the harvest area, whether it is wild or farmed, the form (whole, cut, powder or sheets), moisture, salt, sand and foreign matter limits, colour, and food-grade packing with lot codes.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: 2 tonnes of dried kelp for food use under 1212 21 00 00, invoiced at £8,000 free on board, with £900 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £8,900. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £8,900, so it is £1,780. With no duty, the only import tax is the VAT, which a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim. 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

Laboratory: test each lot for arsenic, heavy metals and iodine before shipment.

Quality: check species, colour, moisture and sand or shell fragments against the approved sample.

Packing: check food-grade liners, sealing and lot codes. See our quality inspection guide.

What goes wrong

Seaweed orders fail on contaminants, species and moisture. Lots exceed contaminant levels, a cheaper species is substituted, damp seaweed goes mouldy, and sand and shell fragments get through.

Cambridge China Bridge sources seaweed for UK food and ingredient companies with laboratory results agreed before shipment; see small orders.