How to Send Food Samples to China

Enterprises engaged in international trade may encounter the issue of sending food samples to overseas clients. How’s it regulated in China?

There are mainly two ways of mailing a small number of foods (not only refer to samples) to China, i.e., exporting products as personal goods or as samples.

• For products declared as personal goods, they are only for personal use with limits on the quantity and value of the product. During customs clearance, a purchase voice or materials that can verify the transaction¹ are needed. Besides, China Customs (GACC) has raised some restrictions, e.g., dairy products are forbidden from sending to China unless with quarantine licenses. Additional requirements can be found in FAQs regarding import/export parcels by GACC².

• For products declared as samples, they refer to sample goods used specifically as a reference for placing orders. The declaration of such products shall be conducted by eligible import consignees who have been registered with GACC, following the requirements stipulated in GACC Notice No.33 in 2010—Matters Concerning the Supervision on Samples and Advertising Articles of Import and Export Goods³.

Although in practice, some customs brokers will choose to declare a small number of food samples as goods for personal use, it is actually risky and unacceptable by the Customs. GACC told ChemLinked, stakeholders shall declare products honestly; during the onsite inspection process, Customs officials will check relevant materials. Besides, as explained by the leading logistic company DHL, out of food safety concerns, the importation of foods is more complex than other products. Generally speaking, it is more efficient to receive goods as samples rather than personal goods.

What materials shall be prepared for the declaration of goods as samples? Hangzhou Agil Logistics, an experienced freight forwarder, told ChemLinked that the requirements are basically the same with that of general trade, covering common materials like contract, voice, and packing list. But different from general trade, GACC overseas food manufacturer registration⁴ is not required for the delivery of food samples. Quarantine certificate (needed for certain products) and documents related to the original label as well as its Chinese translation are still required.

Please note: 

• Stakeholders shall check the requirements with local customs or logistic companies like DHL again before the delivery, for different ports may have other requirements and experienced logistic companies will offer instructions. For example, Shanghai Port once raised a notification (not sure if it is still effective now) especially to supervise the import of samples used only for testing and R&D.

• For samples used in exhibition events in China, stakeholders only need to follow the requirements raised by the organizers and can usually enjoy facilitated measures.