Chocolate bar Hs Code

Chocolate bar harmonized system code

Product Overview Chocolate bars classified under HS Code 180632 are defined as solid edible products consisting primarily of cocoa solids and cocoa butter, combined with sweeteners and other permissible additives, formed into a bar shape. These products typically exhibit a uniform mass ranging from 20 grams to 200 grams per unit, with cocoa content varying from 30% to above 70%, reflecting different processing levels such as milk, dark, and compound chocolate variants. The bars undergo conching and tempering to ensure optimal texture, gloss, and snap, meeting standard quality parameters including moisture content below 2%, fat content between 30-40%, and absence of adulterants. Subcategories within 180632 include plain chocolate bars, filled or coated bars, and bars with added inclusions (nuts, fruit pieces), each classified based on composition and form. Commercially, these chocolate bars serve as primary products in retail sectors, ingredients in confectionery manufacturing, and components in food service establishments. Their market positioning is underpinned by consistent quality, compliance with international food safety standards, and adaptability to diverse consumer preferences, providing importers and distributors with reliable, standardized products for international trade. HS Code Classification & Trade Specifications The HS Code 180632 falls under Chapter 18 (Cocoa and Cocoa Preparations), Heading 1806 (Chocolate and other food preparations containing cocoa), Subheading 180632 (Chocolate in blocks, slabs, or bars, weighing more than 2 kg, not filled). This classification is based on the product’s physical form, composition primarily of cocoa solids and fats, and absence of fillings exceeding specified thresholds. Compliance with this code requires adherence to precise trade parameters, including packaging in hermetically sealed, moisture-proof materials to preserve organoleptic properties during transit, and temperature-controlled shipping environments maintained between 12°C and 20°C to prevent bloom and degradation. Quality standards are aligned with Codex Alimentarius guidelines and ISO 9001 protocols, ensuring uniformity in cocoa content, fat composition, and microbiological safety. Documentation for customs must reference the full HS code and include certificates of origin, phytosanitary certificates where applicable, and conformity assessments to facilitate clearance. These specifications are critical for harmonized tariff application, risk assessment, and regulatory compliance in global trade operations.

Chocolate bar Chapter Note

1.- This Chapter does not cover : (a) Food preparations containing more than 20 % by weight of sausage, meat, meat offal, blood, insects, fish or crustaceans, molluscs or other aquatic invertebrates, or any combination thereof (Chapter 16); (b) Preparations of headings 04.03, 19.01, 19.02, 19.04, 19.05, 21.05, 22.02, 22.08, 30.03 or 30.04. 2.- Heading 18.06 includes sugar confectionery containing cocoa and, subject to Note 1 to this Chapter, other food preparations containing cocoa.