Sourcing Sodium Formate from China

Sodium formate: 4% UK duty

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 6 November 2026, sodium formate falls within salts of formic acid under 2915 12 00 00 in heading 2915. The table shows purchasing forms sharing this commodity line, rather than separate tariff categories. For the wider family, see acetic acid, formic acid and acetates.

The duty for sodium formate originating in China is 4%, with no anti-dumping or countervailing measure recorded in the supplied tariff data. The suspension on this line names ammonium formate, so it does not reduce sodium formate duty. The tariff also attaches an export waste control; ask your customs broker to confirm its relevance, particularly for recovered material or rejected stock intended for return.

Give your broker the composition, grade and intended use to confirm the commodity code. Confirm formulated products separately instead of assuming that the code for sodium formate also covers a blend.

Specify sodium formate assay and impurities

Specify sodium formate content, whether the assay is reported on a dry or as-received basis, moisture, insoluble matter and agreed impurity limits, including chloride and carbonate. State powder or crystalline form, acceptable particle size and the intended process. Require a batch certificate of analysis with test methods, and agree how independent results will be compared.

For Great Britain, importing a substance at one tonne or more annually brings UK REACH registration responsibilities. Check the applicable registration arrangements before ordering. Chemical classification is the supplier's responsibility regardless of quantity. Ask for the supplier's safety data sheet and classification information for the actual grade, rather than copying paperwork for another formate salt.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 15 tonnes of technical-grade sodium formate in lined bags under 2915 12 00 00, invoiced at £7,000 free on board, with £2,500 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £9,500. Duty at 4% is £380. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £9,880, so it is £1,976. Import taxes total £2,356; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £380 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Identity: match sodium formate on the order, bag labels and batch analysis; investigate any reference to ammonium formate.

Analysis: test representative batch samples for assay, moisture and agreed impurities using the agreed methods.

Condition: inspect for wet bags, hard caking, discolouration and contamination; check dissolution against the agreed acceptance criteria.

Packaging: check liner seals, bag damage, net weight and readable batch identification against the packing list.

What goes wrong

An assay reported on a dry basis can conceal moisture that reduces the usable material received. A batch can meet its headline assay but fail your impurity or insoluble-matter limits. Damp or torn liners can leave caked material that is difficult to feed or dissolve. Record arrival condition and retain labelled samples before using a disputed batch.

Another failure is pricing the order on the ammonium formate suspension despite buying sodium formate. Keep the substance name consistent across the quotation, analysis and customs instructions. Treat a supplier's grade description as a specification to verify, rather than proof of suitability for your process.

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.