Are imported toothpastes confiscated by the customs? This pit - avoiding guide can save you!

At 3 a.m., Ms. Li's phone suddenly lit up - a notice of customs clearance delay. Japanese high - end shampoos worth 200,000 yuan were stranded at the port, and the daily storage fee was as high as four digits. This is not a plot in a movie or TV drama, but a common "customs - clearance" for imported toiletries. How can you make your high - quality overseas personal care products smoothly enter the Chinese market? This article will break down the key points of the entire process of importing and declaring toiletries.

1. Three minefields in the import of toiletries

According to the customs declaration data of Zhongshitong, among the cases of failed import declarations of daily chemical products in 2023, 67% stumbled on these three problems:

• Ingredient exceeding the standard: The chloroxylenol preservative allowed in the EU is a restricted substance in China
• Label absence
: The imported toothpaste from South Korea did not mark the Chinese warning "Children should use it under the supervision of adults"
• Incomplete qualifications: The Australian natural shower gel lacks the filing certificate for non - special - use cosmetics

Mr. Zhang's French scented soap, which he represented, was once returned because he failed to provide the certificate of lavender cultivation in the place of origin, resulting in a loss of 120,000 yuan in freight.

2. The 5 - step bomb - dismantling method of professional customs declaration agents

Zhongshitong recommends adopting the following standardized process:

• Pre - inspection and pre - judgment: Pre - check the consumption tax rate of shampoo (currently 9%) through the HS code
• Document matrix: Prepare 12 core documents such as INVOICE, packing list, and ingredient ratio table
• Quick filing: The secret to reducing the filing period of non - special cosmetics from 20 days to 3 working days
• Intelligent declaration: Use the classification system to automatically match the tax number 39249000 for toothbrushes
• Emergency channel: Establish a 48 - hour response mechanism for problem items inspected by the customs

3. The new regulation trend in 2024

Announcement No. 122 of the General Administration of Customs brings two major changes:

• Toothpaste is included in the scope of cosmetics supervision for the first time
• An additional toxicological test report is required for children's toiletries

A German - brand children's toothpaste could not enter the country for three months due to failure to update the formula testing standard. Zhongshitong finally retrieved 85% of the orders through the combined plan of pre - classification correction + urgent sample testing.

4. The golden section point of cost control

Take the import of 2,000 Italian shower gels as an example:

• Less - than - container - load shipping saves 40% of the freight compared to air transportation
• Apply in advance for the customs duty guarantee amount of AEO - certified enterprises
• Obtain a 6.5% customs duty preference by using the RCEP agreement

Ms. Wang reduced the inspection rate from 15% to 3% through the batch - based declaration strategy, and the annual logistics cost decreased by 220,000 yuan.

Customs clearance is not the end but the beginning

When your imported mouthwash finally reaches the shelves, don't forget there is an invisible checkpoint of subsequent compliance audits. Zhongshitong recommends checking every quarter:

• Whether the product ingredients still meet the latest national standards
• Whether the Chinese label needs to be updated according to the policy
• The integrity of the preservation of import batch files

Have you ever encountered a frustrating customs - clearance problem? Welcome to share your experiences in the comment section. We will select 3 readers to provide free customs declaration plan diagnosis.