Why technology is essential for food and drink classification

In today’s complex trade environment, accurate product classification is more critical than ever for food and drink manufacturers. Misclassifications can lead to delays, unexpected costs, and regulatory penalties. To address these challenges, TariffTel partnered with the Food and Drink Federation (FDF) to present a webinar on leveraging technology for precise and compliant classification in the food and drink sector.

Key takeaways from the webinar

Led by Elizabeth Davies, Customs Systems Manager at TariffTel, the webinar delved into the intricacies of customs classification and how technology can streamline this process. Here are some of the main points discussed:

1. The importance of accurate classification

Accurate classification is essential for smooth import and export operations. It ensures compliance with regulations, prevents delays at borders, and avoids financial penalties. The webinar emphasised the need for detailed product information and understanding of classification rules. Read more about the specific challenges in food and drink classification.

2. Challenges specific to the food & drink industry

Classifying food and drink products presents unique challenges due to factors like ingredient variations, processing methods, and packaging. The webinar highlighted common pitfalls and the importance of staying updated with regulatory changes.

3. Leveraging technology for compliance

TariffTel’s system combines automation with expert logic to achieve high accuracy in classification. TariffTel supports businesses by:

-Providing an automated system that handles the bulk classification of products.

-Updates on tariff code changes and regulatory changes affecting codes – automatically and instantly updated on the system.

-Making compliance simple with full reporting and audit trail functionality.

-Bringing peace of mind with human experts focused on complex, ambiguous, or new products. Especially useful for the food and drink sector where products can be notoriously hard to classify.

This approach allows businesses to scale their compliance efforts and be audit-ready at all times.

Watch the full webinar

To gain deeper insights into how technology can support your classification processes, watch the full webinar below:

How to ensure tariff code accuracy

At TariffTel, we believe automation is the future of customs classification but only when it’s built on the right foundations. The market is rapidly filling with AI-only tools that promise quick fixes, but fall short when precision, context and legal rigour are required. Most AI systems simply mirror the data they’re given. If the original classification is wrong, the AI will confidently repeat that mistake without applying logic, rules or human judgement. TariffTel’s platform takes a different approach – a hybrid approach. We combine intelligent automation with specialist oversight, blending speed with substance. It’s not just about doing classification faster. It’s about doing it right, every time.