Are imported candies detained by the customs? You may have stepped on these 3 landmines

When Mr. Zhang received that box of handmade chocolates sent from Belgium, he didn't expect to be caught in a two - week customs declaration nightmare. Cases like this, where candies are detained, fined, or even destroyed due to a lack of understanding of import policies, occur more than 200 times a year at Xiamen Port. Imported candies may seem sweet, but there are hidden mysteries - today we will break down this "sweet clearance guide".

Data from Xiamen Customs shows that from January to June 2023, the declaration non - compliance rate of candy products was as high as 37%, mainly stuck in three links:

• Excessive ingredients: Carmine red pigment, which is allowed in the EU, is a prohibited additive in China
• Missing labels: Matcha candies imported from Japan are often returned because the Chinese nutrition label is not marked
• Incomplete certificates: Thai coconut candies need to provide both a certificate of origin and a phytosanitary certificate

Taking a certain German - brand gummy candy represented by Zhongshitong as an example, the complete process requires:

• Pre - review stage: Check whether the ingredient list contains sensitive ingredients such as gelatin (takes 3 working days)
• Document preparation: 12 materials such as the original factory health certificate and ingredient test report (samples can be consulted with professional agents)
• On - site inspection: There is a special candy inspection platform at Xiamen Dongdu Port to test indicators such as sugar content and microorganisms
• Tax calculation: The tariff for ordinary candies is 10%, while that for chocolate products is as high as 15%

Ms. Li's cross - border e - commerce has reduced costs by 20% through these methods:

• Choose "whitelisted" countries: ASEAN member states enjoy tariff preferences
• Seasonal declaration: Avoid peak periods such as the Spring Festival to save 3 - 5 days of warehousing fees
• Consolidated declaration: Multi - category candies from the same shipper can be combined for customs clearance
• Pre - packaging optimization: Controlling the net weight of each box below 22kg can reduce the sampling inspection rate
• Utilize free trade zones: The cross - border sub - packaging service in Xiangyu Bonded Zone can reduce value - added tax

Two recent changes at Xiamen Customs are worth noting:

• 7 new rapid detection methods for artificial pigments have been added (previously, they needed to be sent to a laboratory for inspection)
• The "qualified guarantee" model is being implemented, and AEO - certified enterprises can apply for priority inspection