Hong Kong Shopping to Taiwan Guide
HowBridge's own warehouses are the Shenzhen consolidation warehouse and the Taoyuan Dayuan operations warehouse. We currently have no Hong Kong warehouse and do not offer a Hong Kong leg, including a Hong Kong receiving address, official Hong Kong-leg rates, or guaranteed transit times. Any Hong Kong warehouses, shipping rates, and transit times mentioned on this page are for general market reference only and are not services offered by this site; do not use them as a shipping address or to place orders. For goods purchased in Hong Kong, you must arrange forwarding to this site's Shenzhen consolidation warehouse yourself, after which they can be consolidated and shipped from Shenzhen to Taiwan. The Taiwan-side tax rates and import regulations on this page remain valid and can still be used as a reference.
Last updated: 2026-09-01 · HowBridge has no Hong Kong warehouse; this page is a shopping and Taiwan import-rules guide
The Real Advantages of Shopping in Hong Kong
Hong Kong is a free port: officially, no customs duty is levied on imports or exports (with only four exceptions — liquor, tobacco, hydrocarbon oil, and methanol) — this is the structural reason Hong Kong prices are often lower than Taiwan counters. But Taiwan's import duties and rules still apply on this end, so calculate the two separately.
- Free port, zero tariffs: The HKSAR Government states officially that Hong Kong does not levy customs duty on imports or exports, taxing only four categories — liquor, tobacco, hydrocarbon oil, and methanol — which is why international brands are often priced favorably in Hong Kong.
- Dense network of pharmacy and beauty chains: Sasa, Bonjour, Watsons, and Mannings have a chain density rarely seen worldwide, with a full range of Japanese, Korean, European, and American brands and frequent promotions.
- Close proximity: Flight routes between Hong Kong and Taiwan are frequent, making both freight and travel convenient — but delivery times depend on the actual carrier plan used; this page makes no delivery-time guarantee.
- Reputable official channels: Large chains and brand official sites generally have good authenticity reputations; for street-level parallel-import shops, use your own judgment — a "special price" with an unusually large gap from the norm usually has a reason.
Note: HowBridge has no Hong Kong warehouse (see the notice above); the Hong Kong leg of shipping must be self-arranged. The Taiwan-side import rules and duty information on this page are unaffected and apply as usual.
How Do Hong Kong Purchases Get to Taiwan?
HowBridge has no Hong Kong warehouse and no Hong Kong receiving address; the following describes the current process — you are responsible for arranging and covering the cost of the Hong Kong leg yourself.
- Order on a Hong Kong PlatformWatch for payment restrictions: local platforms like HKTVmall mostly accept only Hong Kong credit cards or PayPal; some brand official sites accept international Visa/Master cards. HowBridge does not offer cross-border payment-on-behalf services (under Banking Act Article 29, payment-on-behalf is a licensed business).
- Arrange the Hong Kong Leg YourselfShip the item to our Shenzhen consolidation warehouse (the receiving warehouse for the China-to-Taiwan shipping service HowBridge already offers). Please confirm the method, cost, and feasibility of cross-border shipping from Hong Kong to Shenzhen directly with a local Hong Kong carrier.
- Consolidation and Return Shipping from the Shenzhen WarehouseOnce the item arrives at the Shenzhen warehouse, it is consolidated and shipped back to Taiwan under the current China-to-Taiwan plans; the actual available plans and timing are shown in the member center.
- EZWay Declaration and Customs ClearanceAfter arrival in Taiwan, confirm the declaration in the EZWay app, clear customs, and receive local delivery in Taiwan. Declare the item name truthfully and keep your Hong Kong purchase receipt. See the complete EZWay tutorial for details.
Hong Kong to Shenzhen constitutes cross-border entry into mainland China, involving customs clearance and related costs on the China side — the claim circulating online that "marking a shipment as transit avoids Chinese customs duty" is unsubstantiated. Follow your carrier's guidance and mainland Chinese customs regulations, and factor this cost into the total price before deciding whether it's worthwhile.
5 Major Hong Kong Shopping Channels
Shared principle: prices and promotions are as shown at checkout, this page does not substitute for any platform's official information; most local platforms do not ship directly to Taiwan.
1. HKTVmall (Hong Kong's Largest Local E-Commerce Platform)
A comprehensive platform covering groceries, household goods, appliances, baby products, and beauty, with its own logistics. Payment restrictions are notable — in most cases only Hong Kong credit cards or PayPal are accepted, so confirm your payment method works before ordering.
2. Sasa
Hong Kong's largest beauty chain, carrying international counter brands alongside Japanese and Korean brands, with frequent promotions. The scope and conditions of overseas delivery from the online store are as shown on the official site at the time.
3. Bonjour
Positioned more affordably than Sasa, with bundle promotions common. Online and in-store prices may differ; compare based on the checkout page.
4. Watsons / Mannings
The two largest chains for pharmacy items, supplements, and mother-and-baby products. Member promotions are frequent; check the Taiwan import rules below for supplements and formula milk before ordering.
5. Brand Official Sites and Outlets (Citygate)
Hong Kong official sites for luxury and sportswear brands, plus outlets like Citygate, are a signature part of Hong Kong shopping trips. Outlets mainly carry past-season items; keep purchase receipts for high-value items for Taiwan customs valuation.
Taiwan Import Rules for Popular Products
Buying smoothly on the Hong Kong side is only half the story — Taiwan's import rules on this end are what matter. Each category below follows the current primary-source regulations:
1. Formula Milk (Infant Formula)
The rules are stricter than you'd expect: infant and follow-on formula sold commercially must undergo inspection registration with the TFDA; personal-use imports do not qualify for the general food inspection exemption threshold and require a TFDA "Import Consent Letter," capped at 30 kg of formula per year (200 kg for liquid milk) — the claim of "5 kg per shipment" circulating online is unsubstantiated. For products meant for infants, source and expiry dates deserve extra caution.
2. Cosmetics (Sasa, Bonjour)
As of July 1, 2024, personal-use cosmetics imports have no quantity limit (the old rule of "12 bottles per type, 36 bottles total" has been abolished), but may not be supplied, sold, publicly displayed, or offered for trial use (violators face fines of NT$10,000–1,000,000); glass ampoule products still require prior application. See the cosmetics shipping tutorial for details.
3. Supplements (Watsons, Mannings)
Tablet and capsule foods imported by mail or courier for personal use are exempt from inspection application if no more than 12 bottles per type and 36 bottles total; amounts beyond that require inspection application with the TFDA. Watch the ingredients — ingredients regulated as drugs in Taiwan (such as melatonin) do not qualify for the food quantity limit. See the supplement import tutorial for details.
4. Bird's Nest and Health Tonics
Processed bird's nest products and high-temperature canned products are exempt from animal quarantine declaration; unprocessed bird's nest is prohibited from import. Quantity and origin determinations follow current regulations from the competent authority — confirm the product form and labeling before ordering.
5. Chinese Medicinal Herbs (e.g. Tong Ren Tang)
The quantity limits for traveler-carried personal-use Chinese medicinal materials are: 1 kg per type of raw herb, up to 12 types total; and 12 bottles per type of prepared Chinese medicine, up to 36 bottles total. Note this is a rule for "items carried by incoming travelers" — whether it applies to mailed imports must be confirmed separately with the competent authority; items containing endangered-species ingredients are subject to additional controls.
The Ministry of Finance has explicitly designated mainland China (including Hong Kong and Macau) as an African swine fever zone: mailing pork products (roast meats, meat floss, jerky, meat-filled mooncakes, etc.) is prohibited, with a first-offense fine of NT$200,000 and NT$1,000,000 for repeat offenses. Exception: canned meat products that have undergone high-temperature sterilization (tin cans or retort pouches) are exempt from animal quarantine declaration. Meat-free cookies like Kee Wah or Jenny Bakery carry lower risk, but must still be declared truthfully.
Taiwan-Side Duties and Fees
Hong Kong's zero-tariff policy is a Hong Kong-side system; when goods enter Taiwan, Taiwan's import duty applies as usual — the dutiable value is exempt up to NT$2,000, and above that the entire amount is taxed.
Under a Ministry of Finance notice issued per Article 49 of the Customs Act: for the same shipment, if the dutiable value (CIF: goods + freight + insurance) is within NT$2,000, customs duty, and the business tax and commodity tax collected on its behalf are exempt; above that, the entire dutiable value is taxed, not just the amount over the threshold. If the same person receives more than 6 duty-free clearances within a half-year period, this counts as frequent importing, and the 7th shipment onward no longer qualifies for exemption.
Tax rates vary by CCC tariff classification (cosmetics, supplements, and apparel each differ); use the import duty calculator to estimate instantly by product name, or refer to the Hong Kong import duty page for a rate table of common items.
Frequently Asked Questions About Shipping from Hong Kong to Taiwan
HowBridge has no Hong Kong warehouse; the answers below are shopping knowledge and explanations of Taiwan's import rules.
Hong Kong Shopping: Handle the Hong Kong Leg Yourself, Know Your Taiwan-Side Costs
HowBridge has no Hong Kong warehouse; the Hong Kong leg must be self-arranged to the Shenzhen consolidation warehouse. The already-available China-to-Taiwan shipping service can be used immediately. Before ordering, add up the Hong Kong price gap, cross-border shipping cost, and Taiwan duties together to know how much you're really saving.
See Available China-to-Taiwan Shipping Services →