Sourcing stainless steel serving forks from China

Duty on serving forks and assorted sets

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 1 October 2026, heading 8215 covers forks and similar kitchen or tableware. Unplated stainless steel serving forks under 8215 99 10 00 carry 8% duty from China; individual precious-metal-plated forks under 8215 91 00 00 carry 4%. The stainless steel assorted-set lines shown carry 8%. Packing identical forks together does not describe an assorted set.

The supplied record lists no anti-dumping or countervailing duty, steel measure or suspension. Assorted-set lines attach ivory import controls and import CITES controls; individual-fork lines list export CITES controls only. For goods from China, confirm the attached controls and required documents with your customs broker. Handles incorporating listed species can require CITES permits. If an ivory item needs an exemption certificate, it cannot be sold or hired out before that certificate is received.

Confirm plating, handle materials and whether the shipment contains identical forks or assorted utensils using the commodity code guide. For related serving utensils across the wider heading, see stainless steel catering ladles.

Specify the tines, neck and cleaning conditions

State the steel grade, overall length, tine length and spacing, tip shape, neck thickness, handle profile and weight per fork. Agree whether the fork serves sliced meat, salad or buffet dishes, and approve a sample for grip and serving performance. Specify mirror or satin polish, any plating, logo position and protective packing.

Food contact materials must comply with assimilated Regulation 1935/2004. Confirm the applicable requirements concerning constituent transfer to food with the relevant food safety authority. Request metal migration evidence for the finished fork, including coatings where present, and agree dishwasher and corrosion checks reflecting intended use. See the food contact materials guide.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative batch of unplated stainless steel serving forks for a catering business under 8215 99 10 00, invoiced at £3,000 free on board, with £400 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £3,400. Duty at 8% is £272. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £3,672, so it is £734.40. Import taxes total £1,006.40; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £272 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Material: compare the agreed grade with material certificates and independent sample analysis; check that reports identify the supplied fork and finish.

Tines and neck: measure spacing, alignment and thickness against the approved drawing; check for burrs and bending during an agreed serving trial.

Finish and cleaning: compare polish and logo marking across the batch; check bulk samples after agreed dishwasher and corrosion trials for spotting, pitting or coating damage.

Packing: check that tine tips are protected, forks cannot rub together in transit and carton contents match the order. Use the inspection guide to agree acceptance checks.

What goes wrong

Grade substitution can leave forks looking acceptable when new but prone to spotting and pitting after cleaning. A magnet alone does not verify steel grade. Thin necks bend during serving, uneven tines catch food poorly, and unfinished tine roots retain polishing residue. Compare production samples with the approved sample before accepting the batch.

Loose packing scratches the polish and lets tine tips damage neighbouring pieces. Reports for a different finish or handle do not establish what was tested on the delivered fork. Match the report description to the order and check the actual bulk finish, handle attachment and packing.

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.