Section IV · Prepared foodstuffs; beverages, spirits and vinegar; tobacco and manufactured tobacco substitutes; Products, whether or not containing nicotine, intended for inhalation without combustion; Other nicotine containing products intended for the intake of nicotine into the human body
Chapter 21: Miscellaneous edible preparations
Chapter 21 of the Harmonized System has 6 four-digit headings, from 21.01 to 21.06. Each heading is split further into six-digit subheadings, then into national 8- and 10-digit commodity codes.
Headings in chapter 21
| Heading | Description |
|---|---|
| 21.01 | Extracts, essences and concentrates, of coffee, tea or maté and preparations with a basis of these products or with a basis of coffee, tea or maté; roasted chicory and other roasted coffee substitutes, and extracts, essences and concentrates thereof |
| 21.02 | Yeasts (active or inactive); other single-cell micro-organisms, dead (but not including vaccines of heading 3002); prepared baking powders |
| 21.03 | Sauces and preparations therefor; mixed condiments and mixed seasonings; mustard flour and meal and prepared mustard |
| 21.04 | Soups and broths and preparations therefor; homogenised composite food preparations |
| 21.05 | Ice cream and other edible ice, whether or not containing cocoa |
| 21.06 | Food preparations not elsewhere specified or included |
Classifying goods in chapter 21
Start with the chapter and section notes: they are legally binding and often decide what is included or excluded. Then choose the heading whose wording best describes your product (GRI 1), and work down to the six-digit subheading before choosing the national commodity code.
The six-digit code is shared internationally. The UK and EU add digits for their own tariffs and statistics, and the US uses its own 10-digit HTS lines, so always confirm the final code in the tariff of the country you are importing into.
Official sources
Check chapter 21 in the UK Trade Tariff, the EU TARIC and the US HTS.