HMRC have published a consultation on the costs and benefits of introducing tobacco licensing for all parts of the supply chain including retailers. The Chancellor announced this consultation would take place at his Autumn Financial Statement. The UK Government is a signatory of the World Health Organisation Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) and is therefore obliged to explore the extent to which tobacco licensing is appropriate in the tobacco supply chain.
ACS Chief Executive, James Lowman, said: “Licensing systems load costs and administrative burdens on retailers, and registration schemes have not been effective in tackling the illicit tobacco in devolved assemblies. We will be responding to the consultation calling on HMRC and enforcement agencies to use the existing resources and penalties to tackle the illicit trade.”
The full consultation document is available here and evidence is required by 20th May.
The consultation states that no firm proposals for tobacco licensing or registration are confirmed but it does call for all parts of the tobacco supply chain, including retailers, to provide evidence: “No decisions have yet been made in relation to whether parties in a supply chain should be licensed or whether some but not all parties should be licensed”
