UK Global Tariff · commodity code · HS 3923.21
3923 21 00 00: Polyethylene bags and sacks: Of polymers of ethylene
Polyethylene bags and sacks
✓ Can be used in a customs declaration Data: UK Global Tariff · checked on 24 October 2026
- 3923 Articles for the conveyance or packing of goods, of plastics; stoppers, lids, caps and other closures, of plastics
- Sacks and bags (including cones)
- 3923 21 00 00 Of polymers of ethylene
What you pay
Importing into UK
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 4
- Additional dutyAdditional duties 35%
- Applies to goods from
- Belarus, Russia
- Legal act
- 2022 No. 833
- Documents
- 9018
- Duty suspensionAutonomous tariff suspension Free
- Applies to goods from
- all countries
- In force
- until 31 December 2026
- Legal act
- 2020 No. 1435
- Documents
- 9Y12
- Duty suspensionSuspension - goods for certain categories of ships, boats and other vessels and for drilling or production platforms Free
- Applies to goods from
- all countries
- Legal act
- 2020 No. 1431
- Documents
- C990 End use authorisation ships and platforms (Column 8c, Annex A of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2015/2446)
- Duty suspensionAirworthiness tariff suspension Free
- Applies to goods from
- all countries
- Legal act
- S.I. 2018/1249
- Documents
- C119 Authorised Release Certificate — EASA Form 1 (Appendix I to Annex I to Regulation (EU) No 748/2012), or equivalent certificate
Import requirements 1
- Import controlRestriction on entry into free circulation
- Applies to goods from
- Russia, Ukraine
- Legal act
- 2023 No. 440, S.I. 2022/395
- Documents
- 9011
- 9022
- 9038
- 9009
- 9010
- 9017
Preferential rates by country
| Agreement or scheme | Countries | Rate |
|---|---|---|
| standard rate (no agreement) | — | 6% |
| 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 |
| Eastern and Southern Africa States | Madagascar, Mauritius, Seychelles, Zimbabwe | Free |
| UK–Andorra agreement | Andorra | 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–Chile agreement | Chile | 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 |
| 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–Tunisia agreement | Tunisia | 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 |
| CPTPP | Brunei, Japan, Malaysia | 1.2% |
| DCTS Standard | Indonesia | 2.5% |
Footnotes
TN701 According to the Council Regulation (EU) No 692/2014 (OJ L183, p. 9), as retained in UK La…
The prohibition shall not apply in respect of:
(a) the execution until 26 September 2014, of trade contracts concluded before 25 June 2014, or of ancillary contracts necessary for the execution of such contracts, provided that the natural or legal persons, entity or body seeking to perform the contract have notified, at least 10 working days in advance, the activity or transaction to the competent authority of the Member State in which they are established.
(b) goods originating in Crimea or Sevastopol which have been made available to the Ukrainian authorities for examination, for which compliance with the conditions conferring entitlement to preferential origin has been verified and for which a certificate of origin has been issued in accordance with Regulation (EU) No 978/2012 and Regulation (EU) No 374/2014, as retained in UK Law, or in accordance with the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement
UK: imports by month · HS 3923.21
Main suppliers, last 12 months
| Country | Value | Share | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
 China | £93.9m | 16.9% | +9.4% |
 Germany | £85.9m | 15.4% | +6.9% |
 Türkiye | £78.5m | 14.1% | -13.6% |
 Vietnam | £60.5m | 10.9% | -1.1% |
 Poland | £48.7m | 8.8% | +7.7% |
 Thailand | £31m | 5.6% | -4% |
 France | £23.1m | 4.2% | +1.3% |
 India | £18.6m | 3.3% | +10.8% |
Same subheading in other tariffs
3923.21 Of polymers of ethylene
EU 6.5% Third-country duty 1 tariff line Türkiye 6.5% Third-country duty 3 tariff lines 
USA 3% General (MFN) 1 tariff line 
Canada Free – 6.5% General (MFN) 6 tariff lines · average 5.4% 
Mexico 7% General (MFN) 1 tariff line 
Brazil 16.2% General (MFN) 2 tariff lines 
Argentina 18% General (MFN) 103 tariff lines 
Peru 6% General (MFN) 1 tariff line 
New Zealand 5% General (MFN) 3 tariff lines 
Japan 3.9% General (MFN) 1 tariff line 
Taiwan 5% General (MFN) 1 tariff line 
GCC 5% General (MFN) 2 tariff lines 
Switzerland Free General (MFN) 1 tariff line 
Norway Free General (MFN) 2 tariff lines 
North Macedonia 6.5% General (MFN) 1 tariff line 
Nigeria 20% General (MFN) 1 tariff line Binding rulings for similar goods
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.
- 600016116 HMRC
Carrier bag with handles. Bearing the logo of a well-known store. Made from 100% recycled LDPE (polyethylene) plastic using the blown extrusion process. Packaged in cardboard cartons.
- 600016178 HMRC
Plastic bags (32 Pack) Material: low-density polyethylene size: 110mm x 151mm + 40mm Lip Sealed with an adhesive closure Use: storage and protection of completed cryptocurrency backup notes
- 600013960 HMRC
Bags in packs of fifteen. The bags are made of Organza-style polyester. The bags are packaged in sets of fifteen in plastic bags with a card header.
- 600013970 HMRC
Resealable plastic bags made of 100% polyethylene. It is packaged in packs of 60 bags, in plastic envelopes.
- 600013901 HMRC
Product is a box of 100 fragranced nappy bags. These nappy bags are disposable and made from polyethylene (PE). Used nappies are put in the bags to hide odours and are then disposed of. Measures 28cm x 31cm.
- 600013908 HMRC
Product is a box of 100 lemon fragranced doggy bags, designed for disposal of pet waste. They have tie handles and measure 26cm x 34cm. They are made from polyethylene (PE).
- 600013930 HMRC
Party bags in a pack of 20. Dimensions are 18cm by 23cm. The bags are made of polyethylene.
- 600012939 HMRC
Disposable plastic waste bags. Material: polyethylene. Available in various sizes. Packaged: in rolls with paper label, in cardboard cartons. Intended use: For disposing of household waste.
Legal notes
In the UK Global Tariff, 3923 21 00 00 is one of 1 line under subheading 3923.21, of polymers of ethylene.
The third-country duty is 6%.
Goods from 174 countries can enter the UK at a preferential rate instead of the standard 6%; 170 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 polyethylene bags and sacks (HS 3923.21) worth £556.7m (up 1% on the year before), at an average of £1.78 per kg; China supplied 17%, followed by Germany.
For the same subheading, the EU duty is 6.5%, the Türkiye duty is 6.5%, the US duty is 3%, the Canada duty is 0%–6.5%, the Mexico duty is 7%, the Brazil duty is 16.2%, the Argentina duty is 18%, the Peru duty is 6%, the New Zealand duty is 5%, the Japan duty is 3.9%, the Taiwan duty is 5%, the GCC duty is 5%, the Switzerland duty is free, the Norway duty is free, the North Macedonia duty is 6.5% and the Nigeria duty is 20%.
The UK imported goods of subheading 3923.21 worth US$673m in 2024; the largest supplier was Türkiye.
Questions and answers
What is the UK import duty for commodity code 3923 21 00 00?
The third-country duty in the UK Global Tariff is 6%. Preferential rates for goods from agreement countries, anti-dumping duties and VAT are not included.
Which countries get a lower rate on 3923 21 00 00?
174 countries have a preferential rate on this line, 170 of them at 0%, under DCTS Comprehensive, European Union and DCTS Enhanced and other arrangements. The rate applies only to goods that meet the rules of origin of the agreement, with proof of origin. Choose the country of origin on this page to see its rate.
Do anti-dumping or other extra duties apply to 3923 21 00 00?
Additional duty of 35% on goods from Belarus and Russia. These are charged on top of the customs duty.
Where does the UK import these goods from?
For subheading 3923.21 as a whole, the largest supplier in 2024 was Türkiye (US$108m), followed by China.
Typical products
Everyday names, not part of the legal text.