Sourcing vitamins from China
Vitamins from China, including vitamins A, B, C, D and E, their derivatives and natural concentrates, pay 0% UK duty, with no anti-dumping duty. The rules depend on the use: food supplements must use permitted vitamin forms, feed additives need authorisation, and pharmaceutical grades need GMP evidence. Cambridge China Bridge sources them.
Vitamins A, B1, B2, B5, B6, B12, C, D and E, their derivatives and natural concentrates pay 0% UK duty from China. Supplement and feed rules explained.
Zero duty
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 25 September 2026, vitamins A, B1, B2, D- or DL-pantothenic acid, B6, B12, C, E and other vitamins and their derivatives, and other provitamins and vitamins including natural concentrates and intermixtures, carried 0% duty on goods from China, with no anti-dumping measure.
Finished vitamin tablets and capsules are usually food preparations or medicines, not heading 2936; confirm the commodity code.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vitamin A and derivatives | 2936 21 00 00 | 0% | None |
| Vitamin B1 and derivatives | 2936 22 00 00 | 0% | None |
| Vitamin B2 and derivatives | 2936 23 00 00 | 0% | None |
| Vitamin B12 and derivatives | 2936 26 00 00 | 0% | None |
| Vitamin C and derivatives | 2936 27 00 00 | 0% | None |
| Vitamin E and derivatives | 2936 28 00 00 | 0% | None |
| Other, including natural concentrates and mixtures | 2936 90 00 00 | 0% | None |
Rules by use
Vitamins used in food supplements must be in the forms listed in the Food Supplements (England) Regulations 2003 and equivalents in Scotland and Wales, and the finished product must carry the supplement labelling; see food preparations. Vitamins added to animal feed must be authorised feed additives. Pharmaceutical grades need GMP evidence and, for licensed medicines, MHRA active substance registration.
Specification and REACH
Specify form (for example ascorbic acid or sodium ascorbate), grade (food, feed or pharmacopoeia), potency, particle size and coating. Ask for a certificate of analysis per batch and stability data. Importing one tonne or more a year needs a UK REACH position unless a food or feed exemption applies.
Packing and inspection
Many vitamins degrade with heat, light and moisture, so agree sealed, light-proof packing and shelf life. At inspection, check batch labels, seals and weights, and sample for a UK laboratory assay.
Cambridge China Bridge sources vitamins and premixes for food, feed and pharmaceutical use, with grades, certificates and packing settled before the order. See how our sourcing service works.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UK import duty on vitamins from China?
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 25 September 2026, vitamins and their derivatives of heading 2936 carried 0% duty from China.
Can any vitamin form be used in supplements?
No. Only the forms listed in the Food Supplements (England) Regulations 2003 and their equivalents may be used.
Are vitamin tablets in heading 2936?
Usually not. Finished tablets and capsules are food preparations or medicines.
What documents should vitamins come with?
A certificate of analysis per batch, stability data and grade evidence for food, feed or pharmaceutical use.