Subheading · Chapter 12 · Heading 1212
1212.21: Fit for human consumption
1212.21 is a six-digit subheading of heading 1212, locust beans, seaweeds and other algae, sugar beet and sugar cane, fresh…, chapter 12.
What you pay
Importing into UK
Rates by national line · UK Global Tariff
UK lines →- 1212 21 00 00 Fit for human consumption Free
Additional duties and import rules
Charges on top of the customs duty, and rules the goods must meet at the border.
Additional duties and charges 1
- Additional dutyAdditional duties 35%
- Applies to goods from
- Belarus, Russia
- Legal act
- 2022 No. 376
- Documents
- 9008
Import requirements 3
- Prohibition or restrictionImport prohibition
- Applies to goods from
- North Korea
- Legal act
- S.I. 2019/411
- Import controlRestriction on entry into free circulation
- Applies to goods from
- Ukraine
- Legal act
- S.I. 2022/395
- Documents
- 9009
- 9010
- 9017
- Import controlImport control of organic products
- Applies to goods from
- all countries except Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Switzerland, Cyprus, Czechia, Germany, Denmark, Estonia, Spain, Finland, France, United Kingdom, Greece, Croatia, Hungary, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Latvia, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, Slovenia, Slovakia
- Legal act
- S.I. 2019/693
Preferential rates by country
| Agreement or scheme | Countries | Rate |
|---|---|---|
| standard rate (no agreement) | — | Free |
| DCTS Comprehensive | Afghanistan, Angola, Bangladesh, Benin and 38 moreAfghanistan, Angola, Bangladesh, Benin, Bhutan, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo - Kinshasa, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Kiribati, Laos, Liberia, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Myanmar (Burma), Nepal, Niger, Rwanda, São Tomé & Príncipe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tuvalu, Uganda, Yemen, Zambia | Free |
| European Union (including code " EU") | Free | |
| DCTS Enhanced | Algeria, Bolivia, Cape Verde, Congo - Brazzaville and 13 moreAlgeria, Bolivia, Cape Verde, Congo - Brazzaville, Cook Islands, Kyrgyzstan, Micronesia, Mongolia, Nigeria, Niue, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Syria, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu | Free |
| CARIFORUM | Antigua & Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize and 10 moreAntigua & Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, St Kitts & Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent & the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad & Tobago | Free |
| OCTs (Overseas Countries and Territories) | Anguilla, Bermuda, British Indian Ocean Territory, British Virgin Islands and 7 moreAnguilla, Bermuda, British Indian Ocean Territory, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands, Montserrat, Pitcairn Islands, South Georgia & South Sandwich Islands, St Helena, Turks & Caicos Islands | Free |
| Central America | Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama | Free |
| SADC EPA | Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia | Free |
| CPTPP | Brunei, Chile, Japan, Malaysia | Free |
| Eastern and Southern Africa States | Madagascar, Mauritius, Seychelles, Zimbabwe | Free |
| UK–Albania agreement | Albania | Free |
| UK–Australia agreement | Australia | Free |
| UK–Canada agreement | Canada | Free |
| UK–Switzerland agreement | Switzerland | Free |
| UK–Côte d’Ivoire agreement | Côte d’Ivoire | Free |
| UK–Cameroon agreement | Cameroon | Free |
| UK–Colombia agreement | Colombia | Free |
| UK–Ceuta & Melilla agreement | Ceuta & Melilla | Free |
| UK–Ecuador agreement | Ecuador | Free |
| UK–Egypt agreement | Egypt | Free |
| UK–Fiji agreement | Fiji | Free |
| UK–Faroe Islands agreement | Faroe Islands | Free |
| UK–Georgia agreement | Georgia | Free |
| UK–Ghana agreement | Ghana | Free |
| DCTS Standard | Indonesia | Free |
| UK–Israel agreement | Israel | Free |
| UK–India agreement | India | Free |
| UK–Iceland agreement | Iceland | Free |
| UK–Jordan agreement | Jordan | Free |
| UK–Kenya agreement | Kenya | Free |
| UK–South Korea agreement | South Korea | Free |
| UK–Lebanon agreement | Lebanon | Free |
| UK–Liechtenstein agreement | Liechtenstein | Free |
| UK–Morocco agreement | Morocco | Free |
| UK–Moldova agreement | Moldova | Free |
| UK–North Macedonia agreement | North Macedonia | Free |
| UK–Mexico agreement | Mexico | Free |
| UK–Norway agreement | Norway | Free |
| UK–New Zealand agreement | New Zealand | Free |
| UK–Peru agreement | Peru | Free |
| UK–Papua New Guinea agreement | Papua New Guinea | Free |
| UK–Palestinian Territories agreement | Palestinian Territories | Free |
| UK–Serbia agreement | Serbia | Free |
| UK–Solomon Islands agreement | Solomon Islands | Free |
| UK–Singapore agreement | Singapore | Free |
| UK–San Marino agreement | San Marino | Free |
| UK–Türkiye agreement | Türkiye | Free |
| UK–Ukraine agreement | Ukraine | Free |
| UK–Vietnam agreement | Vietnam | Free |
| UK–Samoa agreement | Samoa | Free |
| UK–Kosovo agreement | Kosovo | Free |
| UK–South Africa agreement | South Africa | Free |
UK: imports by month
Main suppliers, last 12 months
| Country | Value | Share | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
 China | £5m | 45.1% | +39.2% |
 South Korea | £1.8m | 16.8% | -28.5% |
 United States | £970k | 8.8% | +149.9% |
 Philippines | £803k | 7.3% | +87.6% |
 Iceland | £520k | 4.7% | -10.8% |
 Japan | £422k | 3.8% | -35% |
 Ireland | £257k | 2.3% | -15.7% |
 Taiwan | £185k | 1.7% | -64.5% |
Same subheading in other tariffs
EU
TürkiyeWorld trade in 2024
Trade value (US$) no reported trade < US$98kUS$98k+US$2m+US$7m+> US$24m
Exports: 127
- South Korea: US$497m
- China: US$283m
- Indonesia: US$184m
- Japan: US$24m
- Philippines: US$19m
- Canada: US$12m
- United Kingdom: US$10m
- Chile: US$10m
- Denmark: US$9m
- Netherlands: US$9m
- Germany: US$7m
- United States: US$7m
- Thailand: US$5m
- France: US$5m
- Tanzania: US$4m
- Spain: US$4m
- Iceland: US$3m
- Ireland: US$3m
- Taiwan: US$3m
- Israel: US$3m
- Poland: US$3m
- Malaysia: US$3m
- Lithuania: US$2m
- Vietnam: US$2m
- India: US$2m
- South Africa: US$2m
- Morocco: US$2m
- Australia: US$2m
- Austria: US$2m
- Russia: US$2m
- Kazakhstan: US$1m
- St Lucia: US$1m
- Belgium: US$1m
- Peru: US$1m
- Portugal: US$1m
- Czechia: US$1m
- Italy: US$1m
- Madagascar: US$983k
- Ecuador: US$819k
- Singapore: US$778k
- Brazil: US$763k
- Sweden: US$701k
- Bulgaria: US$642k
- Latvia: US$496k
- Argentina: US$354k
- Cyprus: US$331k
- New Zealand: US$287k
- Luxembourg: US$286k
- Norway: US$285k
- Hong Kong SAR China: US$280k
- Venezuela: US$277k
- Mexico: US$252k
- Saudi Arabia: US$197k
- Türkiye: US$184k
- Slovakia: US$181k
- Slovenia: US$161k
- Finland: US$150k
- Estonia: US$136k
- Romania: US$98k
- Hungary: US$81k
Trade value (US$) no reported trade < US$121kUS$121k+US$1m+US$8m+> US$62m
Imports: 182
- Japan: US$287m
- China: US$227m
- Thailand: US$96m
- Russia: US$75m
- United States: US$69m
- Taiwan: US$62m
- Indonesia: US$28m
- Australia: US$28m
- Brazil: US$24m
- South Korea: US$24m
- Vietnam: US$23m
- United Kingdom: US$15m
- Germany: US$12m
- Poland: US$10m
- Canada: US$9m
- France: US$9m
- Mexico: US$9m
- New Zealand: US$8m
- Philippines: US$8m
- Chile: US$8m
- Italy: US$8m
- Netherlands: US$7m
- Denmark: US$7m
- Spain: US$6m
- Malaysia: US$6m
- Norway: US$5m
- Kazakhstan: US$4m
- Hong Kong SAR China: US$4m
- Ukraine: US$4m
- Lithuania: US$3m
- Austria: US$3m
- Belgium: US$3m
- Czechia: US$3m
- India: US$3m
- Sweden: US$3m
- Portugal: US$3m
- Switzerland: US$2m
- Argentina: US$2m
- Slovakia: US$2m
- Israel: US$2m
- Mongolia: US$2m
- Singapore: US$2m
- Türkiye: US$2m
- Colombia: US$1m
- Finland: US$1m
- Panama: US$1m
- Romania: US$1m
- United Arab Emirates: US$1m
- Estonia: US$995k
- Bulgaria: US$927k
- Greece: US$829k
- South Africa: US$744k
- Armenia: US$691k
- Ireland: US$598k
- Macao SAR China: US$563k
- Slovenia: US$483k
- Maldives: US$476k
- Brunei: US$467k
- Costa Rica: US$466k
- Ecuador: US$440k
Top exporters
| Rank | Country | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | South Korea | US$497m | 43.6% |
| 2 | China | US$283m | 24.8% |
| 3 |  Indonesia | US$184m | 16.2% |
| 4 | Japan | US$24m | 2.1% |
| 5 | Philippines | US$19m | 1.7% |
| 6 |  Canada | US$12m | 1% |
| 7 | United Kingdom | US$10m | 0.9% |
| 8 |  Chile | US$10m | 0.8% |
| 9 |  Denmark | US$9m | 0.8% |
| 10 |  Netherlands | US$9m | 0.8% |
Top importers
| Rank | Country | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Japan | US$287m | 25.2% |
| 2 | China | US$227m | 19.9% |
| 3 |  Thailand | US$96m | 8.4% |
| 4 |  Russia | US$75m | 6.6% |
| 5 | United States | US$69m | 6% |
| 6 | Taiwan | US$62m | 5.5% |
| 7 | Indonesia | US$28m | 2.5% |
| 8 |  Australia | US$28m | 2.4% |
| 9 |  Brazil | US$24m | 2.1% |
| 10 | South Korea | US$24m | 2.1% |
Binding rulings for similar goods 5
Decisions of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CROSS) and HMRC (Advance Tariff Rulings) on goods classified here. A ruling binds only its holder, but shows how the authorities classify similar goods. The descriptions are the authorities’ own, in English.
- H312097 U.S. CBP
Application for Further Review of Protest No. 1001-19-100242; Classification of Calcified Seaweed Powders
- H272093 U.S. CBP
Internal Advice Request; Classification of Dried (Roasted) Seaweed, Thai Jasmine Rice, and Rice Cakes; US – Korea Free Trade Agreement.
- 600016700 HMRC
A frozen seaweed dish intended for use as a side dish, an appetiser, or an ingredient in commercially prepared foods, and Sushi dishes. Once defrosted, it is ready for consumption. The seaweed is mixed with black fungus, sesame seed, and chilli pepper. It is made by harvesting farmed seaweed,…
- 600012888 HMRC
Frozen seaweed (Undaria pinnatifida) The ingredients are: Seaweed (wakame), Black fungus, Agar-agar, Sesame oil, Sesame seeds, Chili, Rice Vinegar, Salt, high Fructose Corn Syrup, Mirin, Sugar, Flavour enhancer E621, Hydrolyzed, Vegetable Protein, Colouring E133 & Colouring E102. It is packed in…
- 600009799 HMRC
Product is 100% natural dried seaweed for human consumption, used as a raw material for making sushi. The seaweed is washed and dried at 160-350°C for approximately 5 seconds, it is then cooled and packaged in plastic bags. Available in various quantities.
Subheading 1212.21 is a single line in the UK Global Tariff, where the duty is duty-free.
The EU Combined Nomenclature has one tariff line for subheading 1212.21; the duty is duty-free.
Goods from 172 countries can enter the UK at a preferential rate instead of the standard Free; 172 of them pay no duty at all, for example under DCTS Comprehensive or European Union.
In the UK, additional duty of 35% applies on top of the customs duty to goods from Belarus and Russia.
In the 12 months to August 2026, the UK imported these goods worth £11m (up 7% on the year before), at an average of £2.61 per kg; China supplied 45%, followed by South Korea.
World trade in these goods reached US$1bn in 2024, up 6.5% on 2023.
South Korea was the largest exporter with 43.6% of the total, ahead of China.
Products classified here
Questions and answers
What is the HS code for fit for human consumption?
Fit for human consumption fall under HS subheading 1212.21, part of heading 1212, in section II of the Harmonized System.
What is the import duty on fit for human consumption in the UK?
Under the UK Global Tariff, imports under 1212.21 from countries without a preferential agreement are free of duty. Preferential rates, anti-dumping duties and VAT are not included.
What is the import duty on fit for human consumption in the EU?
Under the EU Combined Nomenclature, imports under 1212.21 from countries without a preferential agreement are free of duty. Preferential rates, anti-dumping duties and VAT are not included.
Which country exports the most fit for human consumption?
South Korea, with US$497m in 2024 (43.6% of world exports).
Which countries can export these goods to the UK duty-free?
172 countries pay no duty under a trade agreement or preference scheme, among them partners under DCTS Comprehensive, European Union, DCTS Enhanced. The goods must meet the agreement’s rules of origin and the importer needs proof of origin; otherwise the standard rate of Free applies. Pick a country above to see its rate.
Is there anti-dumping duty on these goods?
The UK charges additional duty of 35% on goods from Belarus and Russia. Lower rates apply to the named exporters listed in the measure.
Where does the UK import these goods from?
In the 12 months to August 2026, the largest suppliers were China (45%), South Korea (17%) and United States (9%), out of total imports of £11m.
Typical products
Everyday names, not part of the legal text.