Anti-dumping duties can silently add 60%+ to your landed cost — and HMRC won't warn you in advance. Here's what every UK importer needs to know before placing their next order from China.
In summary: Anti-dumping duties are additional UK import tariffs placed on goods sold below fair market value — typically from China. For importers of e-bikes, solar panels, ceramic tiles, and steel products, these duties can add 30–65% on top of standard import duty and VAT, turning a profitable product into a loss-maker overnight. Knowing how to check for and plan around them is essential for any UK importer.
Welcome back to our Sourcing 101 series, where we arm you with the knowledge you need to import smarter, protect your margins, and sleep soundly at night. Today we're talking about something that has blindsided more than a few of our clients over the years — and cost some of them a small fortune in unexpected bills.
Anti-dumping duties.
Twas a simpler time, back when you could look up your HS code, add 12% import duty and 20% VAT to your spreadsheet, and call it a day. Now? There's an extra column you might be missing entirely — and it can be a big one.
Let me explain what's going on, which products are affected, and — most importantly — how to make sure you're not the last to find out.
Anti-dumping duties are additional tariffs applied by the UK government on specific imported goods that are being sold at unfairly low prices — typically below their cost of production in the country of origin. The logic goes like this: if a foreign manufacturer sells products at a loss in the UK market (often subsidised by their government), British manufacturers can't compete on a level playing field.
In the UK, these duties are administered by the Trade Remedies Authority (TRA) and sit on top of standard customs duty and VAT. They're product-specific, origin-specific, and sometimes even manufacturer-specific — which makes them considerably trickier to track than standard import tariffs.
The catch? They're not always obvious, and they change regularly. Many importers only find out about them when HMRC comes knocking after their shipment clears the port.
This is where it gets interesting — and where a lot of importers get a nasty surprise. Here are some of the main categories currently subject to anti-dumping duties in the UK (as of 2026):
E-bikes and electric cycles from China — Duties can range from 20% to 79% depending on the manufacturer. If you're sourcing e-bikes for retail and haven't factored this in, your margin is gone before you've sold a single unit.
Solar panels and photovoltaic modules — Subject to significant trade measures, particularly on Chinese-manufactured products.
Ceramic tiles — Duties on Chinese ceramic tiles have been in place for years and remain a key cost factor for bathroom and kitchen product importers.
Steel and aluminium products — Various steel products from China and other origins face anti-dumping measures, with some duties exceeding 50%.
Optical fibre cables — Caught UK importers off guard when measures were first applied.
Bicycle parts — Some components face measures, particularly those deemed to circumvent e-bike duties.
This is by no means an exhaustive list — the TRA regularly reviews, adds, and removes measures. The only way to be sure is to check.
Let me paint you a picture. You're importing e-bikes from a Chinese factory. Standard UK duty rate: 6%. VAT: 20%. You think you've got it all figured out in your spreadsheet.
Then HMRC flags your shipment. Turns out your supplier falls under a specific anti-dumping measure with a 62% duty rate. Your cost structure has just exploded.
Here's how the maths works on a £10,000 CIF shipment:
Standard import duty (6%): £600
Anti-dumping duty (62%): £6,200
VAT on all of the above (20%): £3,360
Total landed cost: £20,160. On a £10,000 shipment.
That's more than double what you planned for. And HMRC won't be sympathetic — the duty was publicly listed. It's your responsibility to check before you order.
Sourcing Hack #1:
Before placing any order, run your HS code through the UK Trade Tariff and cross-reference with the Trade Remedies Authority database. This two-minute check could save you thousands. Better still, ask your sourcing agent to confirm the full landed cost — including all applicable duties — before you commit to any supplier.
Standard UK import duty applies to all imports of a given product from most countries, based on the commodity code (HS code) and country of origin. It's published in the UK Global Tariff and relatively straightforward to look up.
Anti-dumping duties are different in three key ways. First, they're product AND origin specific — the same product made in China might attract an anti-dumping duty, while the same product made in Vietnam might not. This is one reason why sourcing diversification matters, and why a knowledgeable sourcing agent will flag this during supplier selection, not after the fact.
Second, they're sometimes manufacturer-specific. One factory in Guangdong might face a 12% anti-dumping rate; the factory next door could face 62%. Who you buy from matters enormously.
Third, they're subject to regular review. Duties can change year to year, so an importer who checked two years ago may be working with outdated information.
The process is straightforward, but you do need to do it for every new product category you import.
Step 1: Know your HS code. Every imported product has a Harmonised System (HS) code — a 10-digit code that determines duty rates. HMRC's Trade Tariff tool is your starting point.
Step 2: Search the Trade Remedies Authority database. The TRA publishes all active trade remedy measures. Search by product description or HS code at trade-remedies.service.gov.uk.
Step 3: Check the origin. Anti-dumping duties are origin-specific. A product made in China and the same product made in India or Vietnam may face completely different duty regimes.
Step 4: Ask your manufacturer for their exporter code. Chinese exporters subject to measures are often listed individually. Knowing your supplier's specific code determines their applicable duty rate — and can make an enormous difference to your cost model.
Sourcing Hack #2:
If you're working with a Chinese manufacturer for the first time, ask them whether their products are subject to any UK or EU anti-dumping orders before you request a sample. A legitimate, experienced manufacturer will know the answer immediately. One who doesn't — or who dismisses the question — is a red flag.
Sometimes — and it's a completely legitimate business decision. Vietnam has emerged as a strong alternative source for a growing list of products precisely because it falls outside many of the UK's anti-dumping measures targeting China. We've helped UK brands shift portions of their production to Vietnam and seen landed costs drop significantly as a result.
This is the logic behind the China-Plus-One strategy: not abandoning China, but building a more resilient supply chain that isn't solely dependent on one origin. If you're sourcing via our White Label or Private Label packages and anti-dumping duties are eating into your margin, our team can model the cost difference across origins for you.
That said, be aware of circumvention rules. If goods are shipped through a third country but have no genuine manufacturing there, HMRC can apply the original anti-dumping duty regardless of the declared origin. The TRA actively investigates circumvention — it's not a loophole worth risking.
Sourcing Hack #3:
If you're considering moving sourcing to Vietnam to avoid China-specific trade measures, make sure your product genuinely involves substantial transformation in Vietnam — significant manufacturing or processing, not just re-labelling or minor assembly. Genuine origin matters, and HMRC has the tools to verify it.
Your true landed cost is more complex than most spreadsheets account for. A complete landed cost calculation needs to include: product cost (FOB or EXW), international freight, marine insurance, UK port handling fees, customs examination costs, standard import duty, anti-dumping duty (if applicable), VAT at 20% on the total of all of the above, customs broker fees, and final-mile delivery.
Missing any one of these — particularly anti-dumping duties — can turn a profitable product into a loss-maker before you've sold a single unit. Our guide on shipping costs from China to the UK is a useful companion resource for the freight portion of this calculation.
And if you're also navigating white label clothing imports specifically — where fabric testing, REACH compliance, and duty rates all intersect — we've got a dedicated companion guide: How to Source White Label Clothing from China to the UK.
Sourcing Hack #4:
Build a landed cost template with every cost element — including an "anti-dumping duty (if applicable)" row highlighted in red — and never send a purchase order until every row has been confirmed. One confirmed landed cost is worth more than ten supplier quotes.
First: don't panic. If you've received a demand for additional duties, you have options. You can engage a customs specialist to review the classification and challenge it if you believe it's incorrect. You can request a formal tariff classification ruling from HMRC if there's genuine ambiguity. And if your supplier provided misleading documentation about the origin or nature of the goods, you may have grounds for a commercial claim against them.
Going forward, the most important thing is to build duty checks into your sourcing process from the very start. This is one area where working with an experienced sourcing agent pays for itself quickly — they'll flag risks before you commit, not after your container clears Felixstowe.
An anti-dumping duty is an additional import tariff the UK government imposes on goods sold below fair market value from a specific country. They're designed to protect British industries from unfair foreign competition and apply on top of standard customs duty and VAT.
Products currently subject to anti-dumping duties from China include e-bikes, solar panels, ceramic tiles, certain steel and aluminium products, and optical fibre cables. The list is maintained by the Trade Remedies Authority and updated regularly.
Anti-dumping duties can range from a few percentage points to over 65% of a product's CIF value. For e-bikes, some manufacturer-specific rates exceed 60%, which can more than double your expected landed cost when combined with standard duty and VAT.
Look up your product's HS code using HMRC's Trade Tariff tool, then search the Trade Remedies Authority database by HS code or product description. Your customs broker or sourcing agent can also confirm this during the due diligence stage.
Yes — many UK importers legitimately source from Vietnam because it falls outside China-specific anti-dumping measures. However, goods must be genuinely manufactured in Vietnam. The TRA actively investigates circumvention via transit countries.
HMRC will issue a demand for the outstanding duty. You can engage a customs specialist to challenge the classification if you believe it's incorrect, or pay and adjust your commercial model. Prevention is far better than cure — always validate duties before placing orders.
A good sourcing agent will flag anti-dumping duty risks during product and supplier selection, model landed costs accurately, and help you consider alternative sourcing origins where it makes commercial sense. At Epic Sourcing, landed cost analysis — including trade remedy risks — is part of our standard process.
Anti-dumping duties are one of those invisible costs that can derail a great product idea if you're not across them early. The good news is that with the right knowledge — and the right team — they're entirely manageable. And sometimes, they point you towards better sourcing options you hadn't considered.
If you'd like us to run a landed cost analysis for your product — including checking for any applicable anti-dumping measures — book a call with the Epic Sourcing UK team. We've helped hundreds of British businesses navigate exactly this kind of complexity.
Get in touch: hello@epicsourcing.co.uk | 07551 136406
TK Wang, Founder & Director @ Epic Sourcing
