United Kingdom

• Labeling Requirements
• Standards of Fill
• Oenological Practices (Winemaking Standards)
• Required Documents
• Licensing
• Import Procedures
• Taxes/Tariffs
• Contacts

LABELING REQUIREMENTS

The following information must be present on the label:

• Product type (Trademarks, brand names or fanciful names may not substitute the generic/product name, but may be used in addition to the product name)
• List of ingredients preceded by the word “Ingredients”; must show all ingredients (including additives) in descending order of weight as recorded at the time of their use in the manufacture and designated by their specific name. In the case of those products that may contain ingredients liable to cause allergies or intolerances, a clear indication should be given on the label by the word “contains” followed by the name of the ingredient. However, this indication will not be necessary provided the specific name is included in the list of ingredients.
• Net quantity in metric units (liter, centiliter, milliliter)
• Date of minimum durability – not required for wine and beverages containing more than 10% alcohol by volume
• Special conditions for keeping or use (if applicable)
• Name or business name and address of the manufacturer, packager or importer established in the United Kingdom
• Country of origin or provenance
• Alcohol content for beverages containing more than 1.2% by volume
• Lot identification with the marking preceded by the letter "L".

The United Kingdom (UK) withdrew from the European Union (EU) on January 31, 2020, and all of the UK except Northern Ireland withdrew from the EU single market and customs union on December 31, 2021.  As a starting point, the UK is basing its alcohol beverage law and import requirements on EU legislation, and the U.S. and UK have signed continuity agreements covering wine and distilled spirits to ensure that there is no disruption in the trade of these products upon the UK’s departure from the EU.  Further updates are likely, and we strongly advise U.S. exporters to ensure that their freight forwarders, UK importers, and customs handling agents are keeping abreast of the latest import requirements.

Language requirements:

The labeling requirements above must appear in English (U.K. or U.S.).

For more information on labeling specific to alcohol beverages, please visit the UK Food Standards Agency website.

Wine-Specific Labeling:

The following must appear on a label in a single field of vision (e.g., can be viewed without having to turn the bottle), except for the importer’s details, lot number, and allergenic ingredients.

Mandatory

• Class/type of wine
• Appellation of origin or name of protected designation of origin/geographical indication
• Country of origin (e.g., “Product of …”)
• Alcohol content
• Bottler/producer information – name and address
• Importer information – name and address, preceded by the word(s) “Importer” or “Imported by”
• Sugar content (if sparkling wine)
• Allergenic ingredients (e.g., “Contains sulphites”)
• Lot identification with the marking preceded by the letter "L".

Optional

• Vintage year (at least 85% of the grapes used to make the product must have been harvested in the year in question)
• Grape variety

The UK Food Standards Agency has published further information on wine labeling here.

Allergen Labeling for Wine:

Allergen labeling rules apply to beverages containing more than 1.2% by volume of alcohol.  Alcoholic beverages containing sulfur dioxide and sulphites at concentrations of more than 10 mg/kg or 10 mg/liter must be labeled “Contains sulphites” or “Contains sulphur dioxide”.  Replacing the word “sulphites” with “SO2” or “E220” is not allowed.  For more information, refer to Directive 2003/89/EC (PDF), amending Directive 2000/13/EC.

Environmental/Sustainability Claims:

Processed wine from organic grapes must be produced in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 834/2007 and Regulation (EC) No 889/2008.  Label references for such wine must be indicated in terms of ingredients – e.g., “Wine from grapes from organic cultivation” and may not be referred to simply as “organic wine”.  Wine labels may also include claims (such as “bio-dynamic”) as long as such a term does not mislead consumers.

Wine products may not include the EU organic production logo referenced in EU legislation on their label.

Genetically Modified (GM) Food Labeling:

Food products containing or consisting of GMOs, produced from GMOs or containing ingredients produced from GMOs must be labeled in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003.

For more information, visit the U.S. Mission to the UK FAS website for up-to-date information on GM regulations and labeling.

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STANDARDS OF FILL

The Annex to Directive 2007/45/EC (PDF) sets out general standards of fill for wine and distilled spirits.  Please note that this Directive does not apply to pre-packaged products sold in duty-free shops for consumption outside the European Union.

A chart derived from this Annex outlining the standard of fill requirements can be found here.

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OENOLOGICAL PRACTICES (WINEMAKING STANDARDS)

On January 31, 2019, the U.S. and UK signed the Agreement between the United States and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland on Trade in Wine.  The agreement provides for the recognition of each other's existing current winemaking practices, as well as a consultative process for accepting new winemaking practices.  As such, the UK must allow entry of U.S. wine products made in accordance with U.S. winemaking standards into the UK.

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REQUIRED DOCUMENTS

The following is a list of the documents that are required and/or recommended when importing alcohol beverages into the United Kingdom or any EU member state:

• Commercial invoice
• Customs Value Declaration
• Freight Insurance
• Freight documents
• Customs Import Declaration (Form C88, the Single Administrative Document)
• Packing List
• Certificate of Origin
• Insurance certificate

The Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has published guidance on importing wine here.

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LICENSING

You must also register beforehand with the Rural Payments Agency as an importer if you plan to import goods for which you need a license (i.e. fermented beverages/wine).

An “Application for new registration” (form TR1) must be filled out and sent to: 
Customer Service Centre
Rural Payments Agency
PO Box 69
Reading RGI 3YD

You will then be granted a reference number, known as a trader registration number, which will be granted in an electronic format.  If you plan to use this number throughout other EC countries, you must indicate you wish to be granted a paper permit.

For more information on this process, please visit the RPA site.

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IMPORT PROCEDURES

An import declaration is required for goods from third countries such as the U.S. When goods are imported into the UK, it is the responsibility of the importer or his authorized agent to declare them to Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC).  A Single Administrative Document or SAD is used for this purpose. This is the approved form for the import declaration process.  Further information on the SAD can be found on the UK government website.

The Single Administrative Document (SAD) may be submitted to HMRC, either through physical means or through an electronic declaration.

Goods are released from HMRC for “free circulation” once the pertinent documents have been filed and payment of tariff duties has been completed. After paying the value added tax (VAT) and any other applicable excise duty, goods are also released for consumption and ready to be marketed.

Wine-specific Import Requirements:

Further information on UK import regulations for wine can be also found on the U.S. Embassy in the UK’s Office of Agricultural Affairs website.

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TAXES/TARIFFS

The United Kingdom is no longer a member of the EU.  UK duties are charged by Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC).  Value Added Tax (VAT) is an indirect tax on goods and services which is borne by the end consumer and applied to the value added at each stage of the supply chain.

Information on the VAT and duty that is applicable for imports of alcohol beverages into the UK is available from HMRC here.

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CONTACTS

The information in this guide was obtained from external sources, including the websites of various governmental agencies and organizations, direct contact with those agencies and organizations, and from Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) Attaché reports.  Consequently, the accuracy of this information depends upon the accuracy of the sources.

TTB is not responsible for the content of external websites.

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