RCS - SICPA HOLDING SA - SICPA secures major European award

Spectra SystemsAnnouncement

23/02/2026 12:00

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RNS Number : 0200U  SICPA HOLDING SA  23 February 2026

 

Press release

SICPA secures major European award for UK Vaping Duty Stamps Program

Prilly, Switzerland, 23 February 2026

Swiss technology company SICPA secured a landmark traceability contract, in
partnership with Spectra Systems Corporation's subsidiary, Cartor Security
Printers (Cartor), reinforcing its global leadership in secure track and trace
(T&T) technology. The program will deliver robust traceability solutions
to His Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC) for vape products in the United
Kingdom.

Building on SICPA's proven experience in deploying secure T&T systems for
excisable products and leveraging Cartor's advanced security printing
capabilities, the consortium will deliver a robust solution combining
banknote‑grade security features with state‑of‑the‑art digital systems
to effectively combat the illicit trade of vape products.

The solution will enable HMRC to support excise duty collection, enhance
market compliance, protect consumers, and further strengthen its fight against
illicit trade.

Following a multistage procurement process launched by HMRC in July 2025, the
consortium was appointed upon detailed assessment of technical and financial
submissions. The project will run for an initial five-year term, with an
option for a further one-year extension. The system will be implemented in
phases, beginning with a transitional duty stamp from April 2026, followed by
an enhanced stamp supported by a full track and trace solution from October
2026.

Cartor will be responsible for the printing of tax stamps with the provision
of core security features. SICPA will complement these with additional
material and digital security features that further reinforce the system's
robustness, while also managing tax stamp coding and the track and trace
software solutions. Its role also includes managing stakeholder and product
registration, tax stamp ordering and payments processes, as well as data
collection and compliance monitoring for HMRC across the vape products supply
chain. SICPA's advanced digital market intelligence capabilities will further
enable the identification of suspicious patterns and potential fraud hotspots,
while audit devices for enforcement authorities and consumer verification
applications will support in tackling fraud and fakes.

"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
programs throughout the world," said Philippe Amon, chairman and CEO of SICPA.

"Cartor is proud to work alongside SICPA to deliver this important program for
HMRC," said Andrew Brigham, Cartor's managing director. "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."

About SICPA

Established in 1927, SICPA is a Swiss private technology company that supports
the effective governance and long-term prosperity of nations.

SICPA sets the pulse of sovereignty, enabling governments to protect their
citizens, sovereign assets, and economies. Best known for securing the
majority of the world's banknotes, SICPA operates across five continents.
Today, our platform for sovereignty delivers integrated solutions safeguarding
revenue mobilisation, natural resources, health, and brand protection as well
as digital identity and secure public services. www.sicpa.com
(http://www.sicpa.com)

About Spectra Systems Corporation

Spectra Systems is a global provider of advanced authentication, brand
protection, and secure transaction technologies. Cartor Security Printers is a
part of Spectra Systems and a leading European security printing and brand
protection specialist, supporting governments and brand owners with
high-security solutions designed to protect revenues and combat illicit trade.
Together, they deliver proven overt and covert security features for excise
applications, tax stamps and regulated markets worldwide. www.spsy.com
(http://www.spsy.com) , www.cartor.com (http://www.cartor.com)

 

Contact

SICPA Media Relations: sicpamediarelations@sicpa.com
(mailto:sicpamediarelations@sicpa.com)

Spectra Systems Corporation: info@spsy.com (mailto:info@spsy.com)

 

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