Prilly, Switzerland, Feb 24: SICPA, a global leader in secure traceability and authentication solutions, has secured a landmark contract in partnership with Cartor Security Printers, a subsidiary of Spectra Systems Corporation, to deliver a comprehensive traceability solution for vape products in the United Kingdom.
The programme, awarded by His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC), will introduce secure duty stamps and a robust track and trace (T&T) system designed to strengthen excise duty collection, enhance regulatory compliance, and combat illicit trade in the rapidly growing vaping sector.
Following a multistage procurement process launched by HMRC in July 2025, the consortium was selected after detailed technical and financial evaluations. The contract will run for an initial five-year term, with the option of a one-year extension.
The implementation will take place in phases, beginning with the rollout of a transitional duty stamp from April 2026. An enhanced stamp, integrated with a full digital track and trace system, will follow from October 2026.
Under the agreement, Cartor will oversee the production of tax stamps featuring banknote-grade security elements. SICPA will enhance these with advanced material and digital security features, while also managing tax stamp coding and delivering the end-to-end track and trace software platform. Its responsibilities will include stakeholder and product registration, tax stamp ordering and payment processes, as well as data collection and compliance monitoring across the vape product supply chain.
SICPA’s digital market intelligence tools will further enable authorities to detect suspicious trading patterns and identify potential fraud hotspots. Audit devices for enforcement agencies and consumer verification applications will support efforts to combat counterfeiting and illicit distribution.
“We are glad to support His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs in its mission to secure the market against illicit trade, building on decades of experience in excisable products secure traceability systems and the successes of our programmes worldwide,” said Philippe Amon, Chairman and CEO of SICPA.
“Cartor is proud to work alongside SICPA to deliver this important programme for HMRC,” said Andrew Brigham, Managing Director of Cartor. “By combining our complementary strengths, this partnership delivers a trusted solution for our customer and the UK vapes market, while supporting the UK’s efforts to protect both public revenues and consumers.”
The award reinforces SICPA’s global leadership in secure tax stamp and traceability systems, as governments worldwide intensify measures to safeguard revenues, ensure market compliance, and protect consumers from illicit trade.
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