Recently, Swiss technology company SICPA, in partnership with Cartor Security Printers, secured a significant contract from the UK's HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) to implement the UK's e-cigarette tax invoice project. This project includes physical security invoices and a digital traceability system covering the entire supply chain.
This project aims to establish a unified excise tax invoice system for e-cigarette products in the UK and deploy a digital traceability system covering production, distribution, and retail. The contract was awarded through a multi-phase procurement process initiated in July 2025, with the winning bid approved after technical and financial assessments . The project will initially last five years , with an option to extend for another year . The system will be implemented in phases. A transitional e-cigarette tax invoice will be implemented in the UK starting in April 2026; followed by an upgraded invoice system integrating a complete digital traceability platform, launching from October 2026.
According to the division of responsibilities, Cartor is responsible for printing tax invoices and providing anti-counterfeiting designs with bank-grade security features. SICPA is responsible for additional physical and digital security technologies, tax invoice coding management, and the operation of the traceability software platform. SICPA will also be responsible for supply chain participant registration, tax invoice ordering and payment process management, as well as data collection and compliance monitoring.
The system will also include law enforcement auditing equipment and consumer verification tools to help HMRC identify unusual transaction patterns and potential fraud risks.
HMRC stated that the project will support the collection of excise taxes on e-cigarettes, improve market compliance, and strengthen the regulatory capacity against the illegal trade in e-cigarettes.
This move marks a key step forward in the UK's tax regulation and traceability system for e-cigarettes, and reflects the government's continued strengthening of compliance and tax management in the e-cigarette market.
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