I. The International Trade Landscape and Core Challenges of UK Biscuit Imports

At present, the post-Brexit overhaul of UK trade rules, global supply-chain volatility, and tightening food-import compliance requirements have jointly created a complex environment for biscuit imports into the United Kingdom. On one hand, since the EU–UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement took effect, customs clearance for goods from non-EU countries (e.g., China) now demands additional SPS (sanitary and phytosanitary) documentation; biscuits, as pre-packed foods, must be accompanied by a Public Health Certificate (PHC) and a Certificate of Analysis (COA). On the other hand, the global shipping market is being hit by port congestion and rising bunker-fuel prices,Maritime transportCosts have risen by an average of 30%–50% compared with 2019, while on-time sailing rates remain below 50%, significantly increasing the risk of delivery delays. In addition, China Customs now applies a “double-random” inspection to imported food (randomly selecting both shipments and inspectors), imposing stricter requirements on document consistency and product compliance. Against this backdrop, professionalImport Agent ServicesIts value becomes prominent—by precisely controlling documentation and logistics, it helps companies reduce policy-compliance costs and supply-chain uncertainties.

II. Core Strengths of Import Agency: Professional Control over Documentation and Logistics

(I) Document Processing: End-to-End Review and Risk Mitigation

The core documents involved in importing British biscuits include: Commercial Invoice (CI), Packing List (PL), Bill of Lading (B/L),Origin Certificate(such as EUR.1 or a non-preferential certificate of origin), a sanitary certificate (PHC), a certificate of analysis (COA), and a Chinese label proof. The agent must focus on reviewing the following:

• Consistency Check: The product names, quantities, and gross/net weights on the CI and PL must exactly match those corresponding to HS codes 2008.1100/2008.1900; the shipper and consignee information on the bill of lading must be identical to that in the contract to prevent customs rejection due to “document discrepancies.”
• Compliance review:: The PHC must be issued by an authority authorized by the UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) and clearly state “Compliant with China’s National Food Safety Standard (GB 29921-2021)”; the COA must list the specific types and quantities of additives (e.g., leavening agents, preservatives) to ensure compliance with GB 2760-2014 “Standard for Use of Food Additives.”
• Label pre - review: Chinese labels must include ten mandatory items such as product name, country of origin, production date, shelf life, and ingredient list. The agent can assist in verifying that the label information matches the documentation to prevent customs detention due to labeling issues.

(II) Logistics Management: Multi-dimensional Optimization and Cost Control

The logistics segment must select a transportation plan based on cargo characteristics (e.g., biscuits are fragile and require moisture protection) and time-sensitivity requirements:

• Transportation method: For small volumes (<15 CBM), LCL consolidation is recommended to lower fixed costs; for large volumes (≥15 CBM), FCL is preferred to reduce cargo-damage risk. Special attention must be paid to container selection—use dry containers fitted with a Humidity Control Liner to keep relative humidity ≤60 % during transit.
• Booking and Sailing Schedule: Prioritize agents with long-term contracts with top carriers like Maersk and CMA CGM to secure space and negotiate 10–15 % freight discounts; monitor schedule reliability (e.g., MSC’s 2023 on-time rate ≈ 62 %) to avoid demurrage triggered by delays (typically USD 50–100 per container per day).
• Customs Clearance at the Port of Destination: The agent must transmit the “Single Window” pre-declaration data to Customs 3–5 days in advance and, at the same time, prepare documents such as the “Importer of Record Filing for Food” and the “Entry-Exit Inspection & Quarantine Application”. At major ports like Shanghai, customs clearance can be shortened to 3–5 working days (the standard is 5–7 days), cutting storage charges to roughly RMB 100–200 per container per day.

III. Full-Process Agency Service Breakdown: Key Milestones from Consultation to Delivery

1. Client Consultation: The type of biscuit must be specified (short/snap), the packaging format (individual sachets/bulk pack), the HS code (2008.1100 for “chocolate-coated biscuits”, 2008.1900 for “other biscuits”), and the import volume (which determines the logistics plan); it must also be confirmed whether re-export via Russia is involved (affectingConvert foreign exchange into RMBmethod).
2. Negotiation and Contract Signing: Focus on reviewing trade terms (e.g., CIF Shanghai requires the agent to handle sea freight + insurance, while FOB Southampton places post-loading risk on the customer) and payment methods (T/T 30% deposit + 70% against bill of lading copy is the common pattern; large orders can be negotiated).?L/C?L/C）。
3. Orders & Payment: The agent assists in reviewing the UK supplier’s PI (pro forma invoice) to ensure that the price terms (e.g., whether VAT is included) match the contract; when paying by T/T, the bank remark must read “biscuit import payment” to avoid being flagged as an abnormal transaction by the foreign-exchange authority.
4. Production supervision: While certification services are not provided, we can assist clients in commissioning third-party agencies such as SGS to conduct inspections, focusing on verifying the origin of raw materials (e.g., whether the flour is non-GMO), packaging integrity (to prevent damage during transport), and storage conditions (warehouse temperature and humidity records).
5. Customs Compliance: Submit the "Registration Number of Overseas Food Production Enterprises for Import" to customs (customers must complete registration with the General Administration of Customs in advance). When declaring, accurately fill in the "Specifications and Models" (e.g., "200g/box × 12 boxes/case") to avoid penalties for false declaration (fine ranging from 5% to 20% of the goods' value).
6. Delivery and Distribution: Based on customer requirements, the agent can coordinate domestic logistics (e.g., JD Logistics, SF Cold Chain) for “door-to-door” delivery; for supermarket clients, a “distribution-to-warehouse” service is required (e.g., short-haul transport from Shanghai Waigaoqiao Bonded Area to a Carrefour warehouse).

IV. Extending Re-export Business to Russia: The Unique Advantages of VTB Settlement

For British biscuit shipments trans-shipped through China to Russia, the agent can rely on VTB Bank (Russiaforeign tradeThe foreign-exchange settlement advantages of the bank) reduce transaction risk:

• Exchange Rate Hedging: Supports direct ruble-renminbi exchange (mid-price 0.5%–1% better than SWIFT), avoiding USD-settlement volatility (USD/CNY swung 5.2% in 2023).
• Settlement Timeliness: Through CIPS (Cross-border Interbank Payment System) integration, ruble/RMB cross-border remittances can be settled on a T+1 basis (traditional SWIFT requires T+3), shortening the capital turnover cycle.
• Compliance guarantee: VTB Bank maintains direct correspondent-banking relationships with major Chinese banks (e.g., Bank of China, ICBC), allowing it to circumvent some SWIFT-sanction impacts and ensure uninterrupted funding channels for Russia-related business.

V. Certification Reminder: Compliance Requirements to Be Completed by the Customer

Although certification services are not provided, the agent must clearly inform the client of the following mandatory certifications and related precautions:

• Registration of Overseas Food Production Enterprises for Import: British biscuit manufacturers must register with the General Administration of Customs of China for imported food.CosmeticsImport and exportComplete registration in the “Business Filing System” (registration number format: “GB + 14 digits”); the process takes about 3–6 months, so early initiation is recommended.
• BRC certification (British Retail Consortium certification): Large supermarkets (e.g., Tesco, Sainsbury’s) generally require suppliers to hold a BRC Grade AA or higher certificate to demonstrate that their food-safety management system meets global standards.
• Chinese label filing: The Chinese label of pre-packaged biscuits must be filed through the “Import Food and Cosmetic Label Management System” before importation. Documents such as a translation of the original label and a nutrition facts table (in compliance with GB 28050-2011) must be submitted during filing.

VI. The Necessity of Choosing a Professional Agent: Cost Reduction, Risk Avoidance, and Efficiency Improvement

In the current trade environment, the policy complexity of UK biscuit imports (e.g., post-Brexit documentation changes), logistics uncertainties (e.g., shipping delays), and compliance costs (e.g., certifications and spot checks) have all risen sharply. Professional agents create value for companies in the following ways:

• Professional supportBy leveraging long-standing partnerships with shipping lines and customs brokers, we can cut ocean-freight costs by 10–15 % and slash extra charges such as demurrage and detention.
• Risk avoidance：Through pre-audit of documents and tailored logistics planning, we reduced the customs rejection rate from the industry average of 8% to below 2%, preventing goods from being detained or destroyed due to compliance issues (which could result in a 100% loss of cargo value).
• Efficiency Improvement: Full-process agency services can compress the import cycle from 60–90 days to 45–60 days (Shanghai Port as an example), accelerating capital recovery and market launch.

In short, the core competitive edge of British biscuit imports has shifted from “price advantage” to “compliance and efficiency”; choosing an agent with integrated capabilities in documentation, logistics, and trade compliance is the key strategy for companies to navigate today’s complex trade environment.