Sourcing wooden bottle crates from China

Duty on wooden bottle packing crates

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 30 September 2026, wooden bottle packing crates fall within heading 4415 under 4415 10 10 00. The supplied snapshot shows 0% duty for China, no anti-dumping or countervailing measures and no suspensions. The table shows crate variants sharing this code. For the wider packing-box family, see wooden wine boxes.

The UK Trade Tariff attaches a CITES import control to this line. Check the timber species and whether the finished crate is covered. For a CITES-controlled specimen from China, arrange the applicable British import and Chinese export documents before shipment; confirm the requirement with your customs broker. The snapshot also lists export controls, including CITES and a cultural-goods export licence measure.

Confirm the commodity code from the crate's construction and use as packing. A decorative storage or display article needs its own classification check. Give the broker photographs, the timber specification, drawings and intended use.

Bottle fit, dividers and timber records

Specify the actual bottle shape, filled weight, internal compartment dimensions, divider height and clearance around labels and closures. Agree timber species, board thickness, base construction, fasteners, handle design, finish and stacking arrangement. Test an approved sample with the bottles you will use, including lifting and stacking when filled.

For crates placed on the Great Britain market as products, confirm any timber-legality due-diligence requirements with the relevant authority. Gather species, country-of-harvest and legality information, assess the risk and keep records. Solid-wood packaging imported for business supply must meet ISPM 15, even when empty. It needs debarked, treated wood and a legible treatment mark; a certificate cannot replace that mark.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: 2,000 wooden bottle packing crates, illustrative order under 4415 10 10 00, invoiced at £18,000 free on board, with £3,500 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £21,500. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £21,500, so it is £4,300. 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.

Inspection checklist

Bottle fit: check actual bottles sit securely without divider pressure on labels or closures. Look for glass-to-glass contact and movement during handling.

Joints and handles: lift filled sample crates and check base movement, loose dividers, splitting around fasteners, protruding nails and sharp handle edges.

Timber and finish: compare board thickness and species with the specification; check moisture, mould, warping, splinters and coating transfer onto bottles.

Marks and records: check applicable treatment marks are legible and consistent with supplier records. Review the timber-legality file alongside the shipment at inspection.

What goes wrong

A crate sampled with empty bottles may fail when filled: handles split, the base loosens or dividers bend until glass touches. Small changes in bottle diameter can make compartments unusable. Agree acceptance checks using filled bottles and retain the approved crate sample.

Wet timber can shrink, distort or develop mould during shipment. Rough slats damage labels and exposed fasteners scratch glass. Missing treatment marks can lead to rejection or destruction of solid-wood packaging. On arrival, isolate affected crates, photograph defects and compare them with the approved specification before distribution.

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.