What’s tracking and tracing?

The supply of tobacco products to UK retailers could be put in jeopardy unless HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) publishes details of the application process for track and trace (T&T) codes without delay, according to a story in the on-line version of Convenience Store magazine.

With a little more than three months to go before the new T&T regulations are enforced, concerns of a possible backlog of applications from retailers are said to be growing.

From May 20, retailers will need two unique codes in order to purchase tobacco legally, an economic operator identifier code for their business and a facility identifier code for each of their stores.

HRMC was said to have told Convenience Store that an announcement on its chosen supplier to act as the UK’s ID issuer would be made by February 1, but by the time the magazine’s story had appeared on February 4 no details had been forthcoming.