The agency practice of importing 3L - packaged beer: The details not written on the customs declaration form

The import business hindered by the easy - pull can

Last year, we handled an import business of German craft beer. The customer insisted on using 3L aluminum can packaging, but when the goods arrived at the port,due to the lack of tank volume markingthe entire batch of goods was detained at the port. This order worth $120,000 eventually incurred a port detention fee of 38,000 yuan. The lesson is denser than beer foam. Today, with 20 years of practical experience, we will break down the five key control points for the import of 3L - packaged beer.

Special challenges of unconventional capacity

• Packaging certification trapsThe 3L - packaged is not a common specification. There is a 0.5mm difference in the can - mouth diameter between the EU EN standard and the national standard GB4806.1
• Tariff calculation blind spotsIn addition to a 10% import tariff and a 13% VAT, the 3L - packaged may triggerspecific dutyprovisions (the current standard is 1.5 yuan per liter)
• Transportation stability testDuring theMaritime Transportationjolting, the breakage rate of the tall tank is 2.3 times that of the conventional tank

Project	Conventional canning	3L - packaged
Loading quantity per container	1900 cases	1200 cases
Average breakage rate	0.7%	1.8%
Clearance time efficiency	3 Working Days	Establish a local spare parts warehouse (Reserve ≥ 10% of vulnerable parts)

Three key documents necessary for customs clearance

1. It is recommended to verify through the following methods:The book should includeProportion of malt varieties(The content of barley malt affects classification)
2. Proof document of filling date (The shelf life of fresh beer is usually only 45 days)
3. Record of anti - counterfeiting traceability label (Since 2025, the requirement for QR code traceability has been added)

Hidden costs of cold - chain transportation

The transportation plan we designed for a certain Belgian brand proves that:
Full - course cold chain(5℃) compared withHalf - course cold chainThe cost increased by 23%, but the damage rate of goods decreased from 11% to 2.7%. It is recommended to adopt:

• Double - layer pallet fixing technology
• Real - time temperature tracker (Each container is equipped with 3 monitoring points)
• Emergency plan for port cold storage (Reserve a 2 - day buffer period)

The Pitfalls Weve Encountered Over the Years

When acting as an agent for Polish beer in 2023, due to not noticingThe can bottom recycling labelwas missing, and the whole batch of goods was required to be reworked and labeled. Now we will pay special attention to checking:

• Whether the environmental protection label complies with the Circular Economy Promotion Law,
• Whether the first three digits of the barcode are recorded
• The way of alcohol content marking (The difference between %vol and °)

When you hold the agency agreement for 3L - packaged beer, please remember: The customs will not remind you that the diameter difference of the can mouth is 0.5mm, and the shipping company will not pay for the tilted and collapsed container. Only by choosing an import service provider who really knows the business can every drop of beer reach safely with profit bubbles.