What Is Anti-Dumping Duty?
Anti-dumping duties protect domestic industries from imports priced below normal value. Learn when they apply and how to check.
Key Takeaways
- Dumping means exporting goods at prices below their normal value in the home market
- Anti-dumping duties are applied on top of standard import duty
- The UK maintains its own anti-dumping measures independently of the EU post-Brexit
- Always check the UK Trade Tariff for current anti-dumping measures on your HS code
What dumping is
Dumping occurs when an exporter sells goods in a foreign market at a price below the price charged in their home market or below the cost of production. It can be a deliberate strategy to gain market share or dispose of excess production. WTO rules permit importing countries to apply additional duties on dumped imports.
How anti-dumping duties work
Anti-dumping duties (ADD) are levied on top of standard customs duty. They apply to imports from specific countries or specific producers within a country. A product facing 15% standard duty plus a 30% ADD faces an effective duty rate of 45% — often enough to make imports commercially unviable.
UK anti-dumping post-Brexit
The UK established the Trade Remedies Authority (TRA) to investigate and recommend anti-dumping measures. The UK transitioned existing EU measures into UK law and has investigated new cases independently. Always check whether equivalent UK measures apply — they often do, but not always at the same rate as the EU.
Checking for ADD on your goods
The UK Trade Tariff (trade-tariff.service.gov.uk) shows all applicable duties for any HS code, including anti-dumping or countervailing measures in force. Search for your HS code and check for additional duty notices. Your customs broker should also flag ADD during the import classification process.
Impact on sourcing strategy
Anti-dumping duties can fundamentally change the economics of sourcing from a particular country. If your primary supplier country faces significant ADD, you may need to explore alternative origins. Note that goods must genuinely originate in the alternative country — transshipping through a third country to avoid ADD is illegal and carries serious penalties.