diff --git a/app/controllers/spree/admin/products_controller.rb b/app/controllers/spree/admin/products_controller.rb
index 4a7f954a7c..1e55d2a099 100644
--- a/app/controllers/spree/admin/products_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/spree/admin/products_controller.rb
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ module Spree
       end
 
       def new
-        @object.shipping_category = DefaultShippingCategory.find_or_create
+        @object.shipping_category_id = DefaultShippingCategory.find_or_create.id
       end
 
       def edit
diff --git a/app/controllers/spree/admin/variants_controller.rb b/app/controllers/spree/admin/variants_controller.rb
index 85a609ae42..6033db7afe 100644
--- a/app/controllers/spree/admin/variants_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/spree/admin/variants_controller.rb
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ module Spree
 
       def new
         @url_filters = ::ProductFilters.new.extract(request.query_parameters)
+        @object.shipping_category ||= DefaultShippingCategory.find_or_create
       end
 
       def edit
@@ -114,6 +115,7 @@ module Spree
 
       def load_data
         @tax_categories = TaxCategory.order(:name)
+        @shipping_categories = ShippingCategory.order(:name)
       end
     end
   end
diff --git a/app/models/product_import/entry_validator.rb b/app/models/product_import/entry_validator.rb
index 4226caa199..218863c065 100644
--- a/app/models/product_import/entry_validator.rb
+++ b/app/models/product_import/entry_validator.rb
@@ -29,7 +29,6 @@ module ProductImport
         unit_type: :variant_unit_scale,
         variant_unit_name: :variant_unit_name,
         tax_category: :tax_category_id,
-        shipping_category: :shipping_category_id
       }
     end
 
diff --git a/app/models/spree/product.rb b/app/models/spree/product.rb
index 68437005e8..2f946bf1f1 100755
--- a/app/models/spree/product.rb
+++ b/app/models/spree/product.rb
@@ -33,7 +33,6 @@ module Spree
     searchable_associations :supplier, :properties, :primary_taxon, :variants
     searchable_scopes :active, :with_properties
 
-    belongs_to :shipping_category, class_name: 'Spree::ShippingCategory'
     belongs_to :supplier, class_name: 'Enterprise', optional: false, touch: true
     belongs_to :primary_taxon, class_name: 'Spree::Taxon', optional: false, touch: true
 
@@ -52,7 +51,6 @@ module Spree
                                                        through: :variants
 
     validates :name, presence: true
-    validates :shipping_category, presence: true
 
     validates :variant_unit, presence: true
     validates :unit_value, presence:
@@ -71,7 +69,8 @@ module Spree
 
     # Transient attributes used temporarily when creating a new product,
     # these values are persisted on the product's variant
-    attr_accessor :price, :display_as, :unit_value, :unit_description, :tax_category_id
+    attr_accessor :price, :display_as, :unit_value, :unit_description, :tax_category_id,
+                  :shipping_category_id
 
     after_create :ensure_standard_variant
     after_save :update_units
@@ -292,6 +291,7 @@ module Spree
       variant.unit_value = unit_value
       variant.unit_description = unit_description
       variant.tax_category_id = tax_category_id
+      variant.shipping_category_id = shipping_category_id
       variants << variant
     end
 
diff --git a/app/models/spree/variant.rb b/app/models/spree/variant.rb
index 74a0db5e60..a130769de2 100644
--- a/app/models/spree/variant.rb
+++ b/app/models/spree/variant.rb
@@ -29,9 +29,9 @@ module Spree
 
     belongs_to :product, -> { with_deleted }, touch: true, class_name: 'Spree::Product'
     belongs_to :tax_category, class_name: 'Spree::TaxCategory'
+    belongs_to :shipping_category, class_name: 'Spree::ShippingCategory', optional: false
 
-    delegate_belongs_to :product, :name, :description, :shipping_category_id,
-                        :meta_keywords, :shipping_category
+    delegate_belongs_to :product, :name, :description, :meta_keywords
 
     has_many :inventory_units, inverse_of: :variant
     has_many :line_items, inverse_of: :variant
@@ -77,6 +77,7 @@ module Spree
     }
 
     before_validation :set_cost_currency
+    before_validation :ensure_shipping_category
     before_validation :ensure_unit_value
     before_validation :update_weight_from_unit_value, if: ->(v) { v.product.present? }
 
@@ -248,6 +249,10 @@ module Spree
       self.unit_value = 1.0
     end
 
+    def ensure_shipping_category
+      self.shipping_category ||= DefaultShippingCategory.find_or_create
+    end
+
     def convert_variant_weight_to_decimal
       self.weight = weight.to_d
     end
diff --git a/app/services/order_available_shipping_methods.rb b/app/services/order_available_shipping_methods.rb
index 95603f9a68..9b4bcf76ba 100644
--- a/app/services/order_available_shipping_methods.rb
+++ b/app/services/order_available_shipping_methods.rb
@@ -3,9 +3,7 @@
 class OrderAvailableShippingMethods
   attr_reader :order, :customer
 
-  delegate :distributor,
-           :order_cycle,
-           to: :order
+  delegate :distributor, :order_cycle, to: :order
 
   def initialize(order, customer = nil)
     @order, @customer = order, customer
@@ -23,7 +21,7 @@ class OrderAvailableShippingMethods
     return methods unless OpenFoodNetwork::FeatureToggle.enabled?(:match_shipping_categories,
                                                                   distributor&.owner)
 
-    required_category_ids = order.products.pluck(:shipping_category_id).to_set
+    required_category_ids = order.variants.pluck(:shipping_category_id).to_set
     return methods if required_category_ids.empty?
 
     methods.select do |method|
diff --git a/app/services/permitted_attributes/product.rb b/app/services/permitted_attributes/product.rb
index ce61fe0d0c..96b9e18cf8 100644
--- a/app/services/permitted_attributes/product.rb
+++ b/app/services/permitted_attributes/product.rb
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ module PermittedAttributes
         :id, :name, :description, :supplier_id, :price,
         :variant_unit, :variant_unit_scale, :unit_value, :unit_description, :variant_unit_name,
         :display_as, :sku, :group_buy, :group_buy_unit_size,
-        :taxon_ids, :primary_taxon_id, :tax_category_id, :shipping_category_id,
+        :taxon_ids, :primary_taxon_id, :tax_category_id,
         :meta_keywords, :notes, :inherits_properties,
         { product_properties_attributes: [:id, :property_name, :value],
           variants_attributes: [PermittedAttributes::Variant.attributes],
diff --git a/app/services/permitted_attributes/variant.rb b/app/services/permitted_attributes/variant.rb
index 8a834d4d84..47e4481e5b 100644
--- a/app/services/permitted_attributes/variant.rb
+++ b/app/services/permitted_attributes/variant.rb
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ module PermittedAttributes
   class Variant
     def self.attributes
       [
-        :id, :sku, :on_hand, :on_demand,
+        :id, :sku, :on_hand, :on_demand, :shipping_category_id,
         :price, :unit_value, :unit_description,
         :display_name, :display_as, :tax_category_id,
         :weight, :height, :width, :depth
diff --git a/app/views/spree/admin/products/_form.html.haml b/app/views/spree/admin/products/_form.html.haml
index 6fb51e7c10..2935fa0dc5 100644
--- a/app/views/spree/admin/products/_form.html.haml
+++ b/app/views/spree/admin/products/_form.html.haml
@@ -38,11 +38,6 @@
 
     .clear
 
-    = f.field_container :shipping_categories do
-      = f.label :shipping_category_id, t(:shipping_categories)
-      = f.collection_select(:shipping_category_id, @shipping_categories, :id, :name, {}, { :class => 'select2' })
-      = f.error_message_on :shipping_category
-
   .clear
 
   %div
diff --git a/app/views/spree/admin/variants/_form.html.haml b/app/views/spree/admin/variants/_form.html.haml
index 3f8f8d3021..1e9aa79236 100644
--- a/app/views/spree/admin/variants/_form.html.haml
+++ b/app/views/spree/admin/variants/_form.html.haml
@@ -68,4 +68,8 @@
     = f.label :tax_category_id, t(:tax_category)
     = f.collection_select(:tax_category_id, @tax_categories, :id, :name, { include_blank: t(:none) }, { class: 'select2 fullwidth' })
 
+  .field
+    = f.label :shipping_category_id, t(:shipping_categories)
+    = f.collection_select(:shipping_category_id, @shipping_categories, :id, :name, {}, { class: 'select2 fullwidth' })
+
 .clear
diff --git a/db/migrate/20230715143122_add_shipping_category_to_variants.rb b/db/migrate/20230715143122_add_shipping_category_to_variants.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..3d50730ca7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/db/migrate/20230715143122_add_shipping_category_to_variants.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+class AddShippingCategoryToVariants < ActiveRecord::Migration[7.0]
+  def change
+    add_reference :spree_variants, :shipping_category, foreign_key: { to_table: :spree_shipping_categories }
+  end
+end
diff --git a/db/migrate/20230715145329_migrate_shipping_category.rb b/db/migrate/20230715145329_migrate_shipping_category.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..9b8d970cae
--- /dev/null
+++ b/db/migrate/20230715145329_migrate_shipping_category.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+class MigrateShippingCategory < ActiveRecord::Migration[7.0]
+  def up
+    migrate_shipping_category
+  end
+
+  def migrate_shipping_category
+    ActiveRecord::Base.connection.execute(<<-SQL
+      UPDATE spree_variants
+      SET shipping_category_id = spree_products.shipping_category_id
+      FROM spree_products
+      WHERE spree_variants.product_id = spree_products.id
+    SQL
+    )
+  end
+end
diff --git a/db/schema.rb b/db/schema.rb
index 307bafadc9..0abe692745 100644
--- a/db/schema.rb
+++ b/db/schema.rb
@@ -948,7 +948,9 @@ ActiveRecord::Schema[7.0].define(version: 2023_08_09_201542) do
     t.datetime "created_at", default: -> { "now()" }, null: false
     t.datetime "updated_at", default: -> { "now()" }, null: false
     t.bigint "tax_category_id"
+    t.bigint "shipping_category_id"
     t.index ["product_id"], name: "index_variants_on_product_id"
+    t.index ["shipping_category_id"], name: "index_spree_variants_on_shipping_category_id"
     t.index ["sku"], name: "index_spree_variants_on_sku"
     t.index ["tax_category_id"], name: "index_spree_variants_on_tax_category_id"
     t.check_constraint "unit_value > 0::double precision", name: "positive_unit_value"
@@ -1176,6 +1178,7 @@ ActiveRecord::Schema[7.0].define(version: 2023_08_09_201542) do
   add_foreign_key "spree_users", "spree_addresses", column: "bill_address_id", name: "spree_users_bill_address_id_fk"
   add_foreign_key "spree_users", "spree_addresses", column: "ship_address_id", name: "spree_users_ship_address_id_fk"
   add_foreign_key "spree_variants", "spree_products", column: "product_id", name: "spree_variants_product_id_fk"
+  add_foreign_key "spree_variants", "spree_shipping_categories", column: "shipping_category_id"
   add_foreign_key "spree_variants", "spree_tax_categories", column: "tax_category_id"
   add_foreign_key "spree_zone_members", "spree_zones", column: "zone_id", name: "spree_zone_members_zone_id_fk"
   add_foreign_key "subscription_line_items", "spree_variants", column: "variant_id", name: "subscription_line_items_variant_id_fk"
diff --git a/engines/dfc_provider/app/services/supplied_product_builder.rb b/engines/dfc_provider/app/services/supplied_product_builder.rb
index 40dfe0c186..02c8f3e00a 100644
--- a/engines/dfc_provider/app/services/supplied_product_builder.rb
+++ b/engines/dfc_provider/app/services/supplied_product_builder.rb
@@ -22,7 +22,6 @@ class SuppliedProductBuilder < DfcBuilder
       description: supplied_product.description,
       price: 0, # will be in DFC Offer
       primary_taxon: Spree::Taxon.first, # dummy value until we have a mapping
-      shipping_category: DefaultShippingCategory.find_or_create,
     ).tap do |product|
       QuantitativeValueBuilder.apply(supplied_product.quantity, product)
     end
diff --git a/lib/reporting/queries/joins.rb b/lib/reporting/queries/joins.rb
index 39d73fd05e..e0097aa3a0 100644
--- a/lib/reporting/queries/joins.rb
+++ b/lib/reporting/queries/joins.rb
@@ -23,8 +23,8 @@ module Reporting
         reflect query.join(association(Spree::Product, :supplier, supplier_alias))
       end
 
-      def joins_product_shipping_category
-        reflect query.join(association(Spree::Product, :shipping_category))
+      def joins_variant_shipping_category
+        reflect query.join(association(Spree::Variant, :shipping_category))
       end
 
       def joins_order_and_distributor
diff --git a/lib/reporting/reports/order_cycle_management/delivery.rb b/lib/reporting/reports/order_cycle_management/delivery.rb
index 3208ce7624..04a5030579 100644
--- a/lib/reporting/reports/order_cycle_management/delivery.rb
+++ b/lib/reporting/reports/order_cycle_management/delivery.rb
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ module Reporting
 
         def has_temperature_controlled_items?(order)
           order.line_items.any? { |line_item|
-            line_item.product.shipping_category&.temperature_controlled
+            line_item.variant.shipping_category&.temperature_controlled
           }
         end
       end
diff --git a/lib/reporting/reports/packing/base.rb b/lib/reporting/reports/packing/base.rb
index 19e60155b2..8fb00736d8 100644
--- a/lib/reporting/reports/packing/base.rb
+++ b/lib/reporting/reports/packing/base.rb
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ module Reporting
             joins_variant.
             joins_variant_product.
             joins_product_supplier.
-            joins_product_shipping_category.
+            joins_variant_shipping_category.
             selecting(select_fields).
             ordered_by(ordering_fields)
         end
diff --git a/lib/tasks/sample_data/product_factory.rb b/lib/tasks/sample_data/product_factory.rb
index 0591617f8b..59a5dba611 100644
--- a/lib/tasks/sample_data/product_factory.rb
+++ b/lib/tasks/sample_data/product_factory.rb
@@ -68,7 +68,6 @@ module SampleData
         variant_unit: "weight",
         variant_unit_scale: 1,
         unit_value: 1,
-        shipping_category: DefaultShippingCategory.find_or_create,
         tax_category_id: find_or_create_tax_category.id
       )
       product = Spree::Product.create_with(params).find_or_create_by!(name: params[:name])
diff --git a/spec/controllers/api/v0/products_controller_spec.rb b/spec/controllers/api/v0/products_controller_spec.rb
index c48af9ba66..730c8ed8bd 100644
--- a/spec/controllers/api/v0/products_controller_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/controllers/api/v0/products_controller_spec.rb
@@ -102,8 +102,7 @@ describe Api::V0::ProductsController, type: :controller do
       expect(response.status).to eq(422)
       expect(json_response["error"]).to eq("Invalid resource. Please fix errors and try again.")
       errors = json_response["errors"]
-      expect(errors.keys).to match_array(["name", "primary_taxon", "shipping_category",
-                                          "supplier", "variant_unit"])
+      expect(errors.keys).to match_array(["name", "primary_taxon", "supplier", "variant_unit"])
     end
 
     it "can update a product" do
diff --git a/spec/controllers/api/v0/reports/packing_report_spec.rb b/spec/controllers/api/v0/reports/packing_report_spec.rb
index 9cec0b7c7f..2dcdc9f284 100644
--- a/spec/controllers/api/v0/reports/packing_report_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/controllers/api/v0/reports/packing_report_spec.rb
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ describe Api::V0::ReportsController, type: :controller do
       "variant" => line_item.full_name,
       "quantity" => line_item.quantity,
       "price" => (line_item.quantity * line_item.price).to_s,
-      "temp_controlled" => line_item.product.shipping_category&.temperature_controlled
+      "temp_controlled" => line_item.variant.shipping_category&.temperature_controlled
     }.
       merge(dimensions(line_item)).
       merge(contacts(line_item.order.bill_address))
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ describe Api::V0::ReportsController, type: :controller do
       "variant" => line_item.full_name,
       "quantity" => line_item.quantity,
       "price" => (line_item.quantity * line_item.price).to_s,
-      "temp_controlled" => line_item.product.shipping_category&.temperature_controlled
+      "temp_controlled" => line_item.variant.shipping_category&.temperature_controlled
     }.merge(dimensions(line_item))
   end
 
diff --git a/spec/factories/product_factory.rb b/spec/factories/product_factory.rb
index 06a7aef77c..320060563f 100644
--- a/spec/factories/product_factory.rb
+++ b/spec/factories/product_factory.rb
@@ -18,8 +18,6 @@ FactoryBot.define do
     variant_unit_scale { 1 }
     variant_unit_name { '' }
 
-    shipping_category { DefaultShippingCategory.find_or_create }
-
     # ensure stock item will be created for this products master
     before(:create) { create(:stock_location) if Spree::StockLocation.count.zero? }
 
diff --git a/spec/models/product_importer_spec.rb b/spec/models/product_importer_spec.rb
index edda720680..f42d7c85f0 100644
--- a/spec/models/product_importer_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/product_importer_spec.rb
@@ -285,7 +285,7 @@ describe ProductImport::ProductImporter do
       expect(carrots.on_hand).to eq 5
       expect(carrots.variants.first.price).to eq 3.20
       expect(carrots.primary_taxon.name).to eq "Vegetables"
-      expect(carrots.shipping_category).to eq shipping_category
+      expect(carrots.variants.first.shipping_category).to eq shipping_category
       expect(carrots.supplier).to eq enterprise
       expect(carrots.variants.first.unit_presentation).to eq "500g"
     end
diff --git a/spec/models/spree/order/checkout_spec.rb b/spec/models/spree/order/checkout_spec.rb
index 8ed666961d..84b28216aa 100644
--- a/spec/models/spree/order/checkout_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/spree/order/checkout_spec.rb
@@ -123,8 +123,7 @@ describe Spree::Order::Checkout do
     let(:order) { create(:order_with_totals_and_distribution, ship_address: create(:address) ) }
     let(:shipping_method) { create(:shipping_method, distributors: [order.distributor]) }
     let(:other_shipping_category) { create(:shipping_category) }
-    let(:other_product) { create(:product, shipping_category: other_shipping_category ) }
-    let(:other_variant) { other_product.variants.first }
+    let(:other_variant) { create(:variant, shipping_category: other_shipping_category) }
 
     before do
       order.order_cycle = create(:simple_order_cycle,
diff --git a/spec/models/spree/product_spec.rb b/spec/models/spree/product_spec.rb
index d99fe291f9..d0f7a89eeb 100644
--- a/spec/models/spree/product_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/spree/product_spec.rb
@@ -207,6 +207,7 @@ module Spree
 
         context "saving a new product" do
           let!(:product){ Spree::Product.new }
+          let!(:shipping_category){ create(:shipping_category) }
 
           before do
             create(:stock_location)
@@ -217,7 +218,7 @@ module Spree
             product.variant_unit_scale = 1000
             product.unit_value = 1
             product.price = 4.27
-            product.shipping_category = create(:shipping_category)
+            product.shipping_category_id = shipping_category.id
             product.save!
           end
 
@@ -225,6 +226,7 @@ module Spree
             expect(product.variants.reload.length).to eq 1
             standard_variant = product.variants.reload.first
             expect(standard_variant.price).to eq 4.27
+            expect(standard_variant.shipping_category).to eq shipping_category
           end
         end
 
diff --git a/spec/services/order_available_shipping_methods_spec.rb b/spec/services/order_available_shipping_methods_spec.rb
index 315f2397c4..16104614f9 100644
--- a/spec/services/order_available_shipping_methods_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/services/order_available_shipping_methods_spec.rb
@@ -217,9 +217,7 @@ describe OrderAvailableShippingMethods do
 
   context "when certain shipping categories are required" do
     subject { OrderAvailableShippingMethods.new(order) }
-    let(:order) {
-      build(:order, distributor: distributor, order_cycle: oc)
-    }
+    let(:order) { build(:order, distributor: distributor, order_cycle: oc) }
     let(:oc) { create(:order_cycle) }
     let(:distributor) { oc.distributors.first }
     let(:standard_shipping) {
@@ -249,7 +247,7 @@ describe OrderAvailableShippingMethods do
 
     it "filters shipping methods for products needing refrigeration" do
       product = oc.products.first
-      product.update!(shipping_category: refrigerated)
+      product.variants.first.update!(shipping_category: refrigerated)
       order.line_items << build(:line_item, variant: product.variants.first)
       expect(subject.to_a).to eq [cooled_shipping]
     end
diff --git a/spec/system/admin/product_import_spec.rb b/spec/system/admin/product_import_spec.rb
index ec0a2d43de..8671daa8c7 100644
--- a/spec/system/admin/product_import_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/system/admin/product_import_spec.rb
@@ -182,7 +182,7 @@ describe "Product Import" do
 
       carrots = Spree::Product.find_by(name: 'Carrots')
       expect(carrots.variants.first.tax_category).to eq tax_category
-      expect(carrots.shipping_category).to eq shipping_category
+      expect(carrots.variants.first.shipping_category).to eq shipping_category
     end
 
     it "records a timestamp on import that can be viewed and filtered under Bulk Edit Products" do
diff --git a/spec/system/admin/products_spec.rb b/spec/system/admin/products_spec.rb
index 043769815d..386d0a5239 100644
--- a/spec/system/admin/products_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/system/admin/products_spec.rb
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ describe '
       expect(product.variants.first.price.to_s).to eq('19.99')
       expect(product.on_hand).to eq(5)
       expect(product.variants.first.tax_category_id).to eq(tax_category.id)
-      expect(product.shipping_category).to eq(shipping_category)
+      expect(product.variants.first.shipping_category).to eq(shipping_category)
       expect(product.description).to eq("<p>A description...</p>")
       expect(product.group_buy).to be_falsey
       expect(product.variants.first.unit_presentation).to eq("5kg")