Key Points
- HMRC awards vape duty stamp contract to SICPA and Cartor.
- Transitional vape tax stamps to launch in April 2026.
- Full track-and-trace system to follow in October 2026.
- Program designed to enhance excise collection and combat illicit trade.
- Initial contract term spans five years, with optional extension.
2Firsts, February 24, 2026
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According to EQS Newswire, The United Kingdom is moving forward with the implementation of a vaping duty stamp and digital traceability system after HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) awarded a major contract to Swiss technology company SICPA and Cartor Security Printers.
The program will introduce secure excise duty stamps for vape products and establish a comprehensive track-and-trace (T&T) system across the supply chain. The contract was awarded following a multistage procurement process launched in July 2025 and will run for an initial five-year term, with the possibility of a one-year extension.
Implementation will occur in phases. A transitional duty stamp will be introduced from April 2026. Beginning in October 2026, an enhanced stamp integrated with a full digital track-and-trace platform will be deployed.
Cartor will be responsible for printing the tax stamps with banknote-grade security features. SICPA will provide additional physical and digital security components, manage tax stamp coding, oversee the track-and-trace software, and administer product and stakeholder registration processes. The system will also include supply chain data collection, compliance monitoring tools for HMRC, enforcement audit devices, and consumer verification applications.
According to the companies, the objective is to strengthen excise revenue collection, improve regulatory oversight, and combat illicit trade in vape products.
SICPA stated that it brings experience in secure traceability systems for excisable goods worldwide. Cartor, a subsidiary of Spectra Systems Corporation, specializes in high-security printing solutions.
The vaping duty stamp initiative forms part of the UK’s broader regulatory framework for excisable products and reflects increasing government focus on enforcement and compliance within the vape market.
(Cover Photo:SICPA-PR UK-vape web| Source: EQS Newswire)
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