Traceability marking and security features on tobacco products
Unit packets of tobacco products must carry a traceability marking and a tamper proof security feature. This applies for all tobacco products, produced in or imported to the European Union, from May 20th 2024.
Unit packets without these markings may not be sold. The purpose of the traceability system and the security features system is to reduce the circulation of non-compliant tobacco products. The traceability label enables the tobacco product to be traced from the production site to the retail outlet. The security features enables authorities and consumers to verify the tobacco products authenticity.
Updates 2024-05-24
The pages on traceability marking and security features have been updated as the rules applies to all tobacco products from May 20th 2024.
The ID issuer All Soft Corp gets renewed assignment
The Public Health Authority of Sweden has after a procurement process, signed a new agreement with the Slovak company All Soft Corp s.r.o. (formerly Allexis) as the role of Swedish ID issuer for traceability of tobacco products.
The new agreement enters into force on February 20, 2024 and is valid until February 2029.
More about traceability marking and security features
The European Commission's website ‘Systems for tobacco traceability and security features’ is updated regularly with information for relevant actors.
Discussions on the systems of traceability and security features for tobacco products take place on a regular basis in the Subgroup on Traceability and Security Features. The summaries from these meetings can be found on the website, in the Events section. For ease of navigation, it is also possible to consult a single, searchable document compiling Q&As and past Subgroup discussions (from February 2018 until November 2021).
- Systems for tobacco traceability and security features (health.ec.europa.eu)
- Compilation of questions and answers and expert subgroup discussions concerning the EU systems for traceability and security features of tobacco products (health.ec.europa.eu)
It is important that all events are reported in the correct order and that the right information is transferred to the system in the correct manner. The Commission has collected common mistakes and how to correct them in a brochure:
EU System of Tobacco Traceability: Common reporting mistakes (health.ec.europa.eu)
Further reading
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Traceability marking on tobacco products
In order for tobacco products to be traceable, they must have a traceability marking that makes it possible to identify, track and search the goods throughout the supply chain from production site to the retail outlet. Products intended for the Swedish market must have unique identifiers issued by the Swedish ID issuer.
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Security features on unit packets of tobacco products
To be able to check whether a tobacco product is authentic or not, the unit packet must carry a tamper proof security feature, with visible and invisible elements. Cigarettes and roll-your-own tobacco supplied to consumers in Sweden must have a safety feature with at least five authentication elements.
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Traceability marking and security feature on tobacco products – this applies to manufacturers and importers
Tobacco manufacturers and importers are responsible for marking the products with the traceability marking and the security features. This has to be correctly done to secure that the markings are tamperproof.
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Traceability marking and security feature on tobacco products – this applies to wholesalers and distributors
Wholesalers and distributors of tobacco products may only sell tobacco products with traceability markings and security feature to other economic operators and operators at first retail outlets. To register events more efficient and easy, aggregated unique identifiers can be created.
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Traceability marking and security feature on tobacco products – this applies to retailers
Retailers of tobacco products are responsible for securing that all unit packets of tobacco have the correct labelling, for cigarettes and roll-your-own tobacco this includes traceability marking and security features.
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Rules and regulations on traceability marking and security features on tobacco products
Tobacco products must be traceable, have traceability labels and security features as stated by law. From 20 May 2024, all tobacco products are covered, but there are transitional rules. The Public Health Agency supervises that the rules are followed.