What to send, where to send it and by when

Entries for the World Alcohol-Free Awards 2024 must arrive at our logistics partner by February 16, 2024.

We will do our best to accommodate late arrivals, but if they arrive after the deadline we cannot guarantee that they will be judged and will be unable to issue refunds. So please allow plenty of time for delivery.

We will require the following amounts per entry for judging:

  • Products in 50/75cl bottles that are served neat or mixed in the style of a spirit - two bottles
  • Products in 50/75cl bottles that are served without dilution (eg wine) – four bottles
  • Products in mid-sized/large cans (35-50cl) – six cans
  • Products in small cans/bottles (<35cl) – eight cans / bottles
  • Products in small bottles that are used by the drop (e.g. bitters) – three bottles

Send your samples to this address
World Alcohol-Free Awards
c/o Sensible Wine Services
Unit 10 Dana Trading Estate
Transfesa Road
Paddock Wood
Kent
TN12 6UT
United Kingdom

Tel: +44 (0)1622 832 640; +44 (0)7917 352174

Sending your products from outside the UK

Filling in your shipping details

If you are sending bottles to the World Alcohol-Free Awards from outside the UK your shipment will need to be accompanied by the correct paperwork. If you are sending a small amount, your courier or postal company will give you a pro forma document to fill in.

If you are sending a larger amount (value £630 or more), you may need to fill in a Customs Declaration. (See ‘Duty/Tax charges’’ below for more details).

In both cases you will need a Commercial Invoice, indicating what you are shipping and who is receiving it. You can download this invoice to print it off here – it’s available in two different sizes, A4 and US Letter.

Classifying your product

We suggest using the term 'non alcoholic beverage' when describing your package.

Some of the shipping forms might also require a 'commodity code' which classifies what you are shipping.

Alcohol-free products are not always easy to classify, but advice we have received from the UK government suggests the following:

  • De-alcoholised wine - 2202 9919 95
  • Non-alcoholic beer - 2202 9100 90
  • All other AF drinks - 2202 9991 90

You will need to include information on the quantity of bottles, their ABV and the size of each bottle/can.

Value

You also need to record the product’s value.

The products have no commercial value. So do NOT fill in their retail price.

But equally, it CANNOT be zero.

Instead, you should fill in a token value of £1/$1/€1.

Duty/Tax charges

Because your entry is non-alcoholic, there is no excise duty. But it may still attract other charges.

If the total cost of Value + Shipping + Insurance is £135 or more, your shipment will be liable for both customs import duty and 20% VAT.

Calculating the value of your shipment Value GBP/€/$
Value of products (at £1/€1/$1 per can/bottle)
Shipping cost
Insurance (if applicable)
TOTAL VALUE OF SHIPMENT
(ensure less than £135 to avoid charges)

Big international courier firms such as UPS, DHL and FedEx are well versed in all these issues and can help ensure that you fill in everything correctly.

But please check that they have filled in all the fields correctly - particularly the value - so you don’t unnecessarily have to pay import charges.

Your courier will need to pay any charges when the consignment arrives in the UK, then charge it back to you. To do this, you will need to have an account with them. We strongly advise discussing this with your courier prior to shipping to ensure that everything is correct.

Please note that you are responsible for any duties, taxes, costs and customs clearance charges. The World Alcohol-Free Awards will not accept these costs and if they are outstanding, your product may not be included in the competition.
Useful Information for World AF Awards as Importer of Record
(DO NOT send your entries to this address)
10 Scandia Hus Business Park
Felcourt Rd
East Grinstead
West Sussex
RH19 2LP
United Kingdom

EORI number: GB423024839000

VAT number: 423024839

Key Dates