Sourcing shelled century eggs from China
Edible heading 0408 lines carry £29.00 to £119.00 per 100kg; shelled century eggs have a candidate rate of £29.00 per 100kg. Imports need approved premises and health certification. Confirm that the preservation process can be certified before ordering. Cambridge China Bridge sources shelled century eggs.
Weight-based duty and import controls
Heading 0408 covers birds’ eggs without shells and egg yolks, including otherwise preserved products. For whole shelled century eggs intended for eating, 0408 99 80 00 is the candidate line. The supplied facts contain only this relevant line; dried eggs, separate yolks and products unfit for human consumption describe different goods.
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 29 September 2026, the candidate line carries £29.00 per 100kg for goods from China. The supplied facts list no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no suspension. They attach veterinary control and organic import control. Ask your customs broker to confirm the Common Health Entry Document and organic paperwork applicable to the consignment.
Confirm the commodity code using the recipe, preservation process and condition at import. This line has a weight-based duty, so a percentage-of-value worked example would be misleading. See the wider egg products guide for other products within the heading.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping or countervailing duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shelled century eggs, otherwise preserved, for human consumption | 0408 99 80 00 | £29.00 per 100 kg | None |
Specify the egg, preservation process and pack
Specify the bird species, whole or cut presentation, peeled condition, ingredients and processing aids. Agree the white’s colour and firmness, yolk texture, flavour and acceptable surface damage against a retained sample. Obtain the preservation process and any subsequent heat-treatment records rather than accepting a description such as ready to eat.
Imports must come from premises approved to export to Great Britain and carry the relevant health certificate. Before ordering, ask APHA to confirm whether the proposed preservation process and factory can support certification. Ask APHA to confirm IPAFFS pre-notification requirements and arrange entry through a border control post approved for the commodity.
Agree individual or bulk packing, seal construction, storage conditions, shelf-life evidence and handling after opening. Request batch-specific microbiological and heavy-metal testing through testing and certification support. Treat these as purchasing checks rather than assuming a supplier’s generic report covers the shipment.
Inspection checklist
Identity: match the bird species, recipe, factory and batch marks to the order and shipment documents.
Egg condition: compare cut samples with the retained sample for white firmness, yolk texture, shell fragments and peeling damage.
Pack integrity: check seals, leaks, swelling and crushed trays; review handling records against the agreed storage conditions.
Batch evidence: match laboratory reports and shelf-life records to the delivered batch; check the agreed product name, egg declaration and storage instructions.
What goes wrong
An acceptable tasting sample does not establish that the commercial batch can obtain import certification. Settle factory approval and the preservation process before committing to production. A tariff code and duty rate do not resolve those checks.
Include uneven setting, excessive yolk softness, shell fragments and leaking packs in the rejection specification. Check arrival samples before releasing stock, and investigate unexpected deterioration against the batch records and agreed storage conditions.
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 shelled century eggs from China?
The candidate code 0408 99 80 00 carries £29.00 per 100kg in the supplied tariff facts, with no listed anti-dumping or countervailing duty. Confirm classification for the exact product.
Can my Chinese century egg factory supply Great Britain?
Imports must come from approved premises. Check the factory’s listing and ask APHA whether its preservation process can support the relevant health certificate before ordering.
Do shelled century eggs need veterinary checks?
The tariff attaches veterinary control. Ask APHA to confirm IPAFFS pre-notification requirements and arrange entry through an approved border control post; confirm the Common Health Entry Document requirements with your broker.
What should I check when shelled century eggs arrive?
Match batch marks and reports, inspect seals and leaks, check for shell fragments and peeling damage, and compare white firmness and yolk texture with the retained sample.