While the European Union moved to a single 79.0 percent anti-dumping duty on Chinese ceramic tableware in February 2026, the United Kingdom kept its own system: company-specific rates running from 13.1 to 36.1 percent, set out in the UK's Anti-Dumping Duty measure 2378. Which rate applies to your shipment depends on which exporter appears on the paperwork. This guide explains the rate table, the exporter-name trap, and the Trade Remedies Authority review that started on 1 July 2026.
Why the UK still runs the old system
When the UK left the EU, it retained its own versions of EU trade-remedy measures. The anti-dumping measure on Chinese ceramic tableware and kitchenware — published on gov.uk as Anti-Dumping Duty 2378 — traces its statutory basis to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/1198, as amended by (EU) 2019/2131. The EU's February 2026 interim review did not automatically change the UK measure, so the UK rate structure still mirrors what the EU used before 2026: individual rates for named producers plus a residual rate for everyone else. For buyers, this creates a rare situation — two duty regimes for the same product family, one channel apart.
The current UK rate table
The rates below reflect the gov.uk AD 2378 publication as of our September 2026 review. They apply to ceramic tableware and kitchenware originating in China, across both porcelain (HS 6911) and other ceramic wares such as stoneware (HS 6912).
| Exporter grouping | Rate |
|---|---|
| Guangxi Sanhuan | 13.1% |
| A Shandong producer group (Linyi/Zibo) | 17.6% |
| Approximately 290 named companies listed in the annex | 17.9% |
| Hunan Hualian, Ebillon and other named exporters | 18.3% |
| All other companies | 36.1% |
The spread is not cosmetic. On the same CIF value, the gap between the lowest and the residual rate is 23 percentage points — larger than most margin discussions in a tableware category.
The rate follows the exporter, not the product
This is the detail that decides real money. The duty attaches to the producing or exporting entity named in the import documents, so the same stoneware bowl can enter the UK at 13.1%, 17.9% or 36.1% depending on whose invoice travels with it. Three practices keep you on the right side of that line:
- Confirm the exact legal entity name of your supplier and match it against the AD 2378 annexes — group names, trading names and factory names often differ.
- Keep the exporter identity identical across the commercial invoice, packing list, transport document and any origin paperwork; mismatches push the entry toward the residual rate or a customs query.
- Assume 36.1% until proven otherwise. Unlisted entities, new exporters and entities that changed registration all default to "all other companies".
The TRA interim review from 1 July 2026
The UK Trade Remedies Authority has an interim review of the measure under way, running from 1 July 2026. Possible outcomes range from maintaining the current rate structure to adjusting rates or restructuring the measure — and with the EU already at a uniform 79.0%, the UK could converge toward its neighbor's posture or deliberately diverge. Between order placement and goods arrival, the applicable rate can therefore move. The practical responses are contractual: include a duty-revision clause in UK-bound agreements, and re-check the review's status before each deposit rather than treating the rate table above as frozen.
What the spread means in money (illustrative)
| Scenario (illustrative) | Rate | Duty on CIF GBP 10,000 |
|---|---|---|
| Exporter matched at the lowest named rate | 13.1% | GBP 1,310 |
| Exporter in the ~290-company annex | 17.9% | GBP 1,790 |
| Unlisted exporter — residual rate | 36.1% | GBP 3,610 |
Import VAT is charged on the duty-paid value in each case and recovers according to your VAT position, so it is a cash-flow line rather than a cost line — but the anti-dumping duty itself is a real cost that never comes back. Figures above are illustrative.
Checklist for UK-bound ceramic orders
- Obtain your supplier's exact registered legal name and check it against the AD 2378 annexes on gov.uk.
- Record which rate applies to that entity, and date-stamp the check.
- Name the duty and the Incoterm in the purchase agreement — DDP with duty included, or DAP with duty on your account.
- Model import VAT on the duty-paid value for cash-flow purposes.
- Re-check the TRA review status before the deposit, and keep a fallback quotation assumption if the rate changes in transit.
UK food-contact rules are a separate workstream from duty: ceramic tableware must satisfy the UK's retained food-contact requirements. Line up documentation in parallel — start from the compliance overview rather than improvising at the border.
Frequently asked questions
Is the UK duty now 79% like the EU?+
No. As of our September 2026 review the UK applies company-specific rates of 13.1–36.1% under its own measure. The TRA interim review that started on 1 July 2026 could change that, so the EU and UK positions may diverge or converge — track both on the tariffs hub.
How do I find my supplier's UK rate?+
Look up the exporter's exact legal entity name in the annexes of the UK anti-dumping measure publication on gov.uk. If the entity is not listed, the residual 36.1% rate applies. Your customs broker can confirm the match before you sign.
Does the rate change from order to order?+
The rate attaches to the exporter entity, so it stays stable as long as the same entity appears on the documents. It changes if your supplier routes the shipment through a different legal entity, or if a review rewrites the rate table — which is exactly what the current TRA review could do.
Does import VAT still apply on top of the anti-dumping duty?+
Yes. UK import VAT is calculated on the duty-paid value, so the anti-dumping duty increases the VAT base. VAT recovery follows your own VAT registration position, which makes it a cash-flow consideration rather than a sunk cost — unlike the duty itself.
For the EU comparison — where the same products now face a uniform 79.0% — see our UK market page. To get a UK quotation with the correct exporter-specific duty built in, request a landed-cost quote.
