As we move into 2025, this overview highlights trends and developments that caught the attention of Authentication & Brand News™ (ABN) in 2024 and that could continue to shape the industry.

Building on recent search-and-seizure operations in South Africa to crack down on counterfeits of its Reinzosil silicone sealant for automotive components, Victor Reinz® (a Dana brand) has now introduced high-security ‘Dana Secure’ labels on its products, accompanied by a customer awareness campaign.

The Amazon rainforest, beautiful beaches, the song ‘Garota de Ipanema’, race car drivers and football players all come to mind when one thinks of Brazil. Unfortunately, the enormity and diversity of a country the size of Brazil, and the challenges that arise from trying to govern it, have given way to a country that is also known for high rates of crime and violence.

A paper published by researchers at Ulster University, the University of Central Lancashire, and Liverpool John Moores University in the UK, warns that prohibitions on the sale of pill presses and die punches, designed to restrict the production of counterfeit medicines, may be undermined by new technologies like 3D printing.

In the continuing fight against counterfeiting, eInk and ePaper technologies are emerging as vital tools, combining dynamic visual capabilities with robust anticounterfeiting features. While both technologies are distinct in their operational principles, in this article we will explore their joint ability to offer secure, flexible, and energy-efficient authentication solutions.

Report confirms falsification of medical devices in EU; election, democracy, and authentication; International Hologram Manufacturers Association (IHMA) launches Security Image Register (SIR) for the authentication industry....

The International Hologram Manufacturers Association (IHMA) has embarked on the next chapter in its history, with a new name reflecting its commitment to serving a broader ecosystem of optical technologies. That new name is the International Optical Technologies Association (IOTA).

At High Security Printing™ Asia, held in Thailand, IDEMIA Smart Identity launched a new security feature called IDQR.

The OECD (Organisation for Economic Co- operation and Development) has released the 15th edition of ‘Consumption Tax Trends’, a biennial publication presenting comparative data on consumption taxes in OECD member countries. The report highlights the continuing downward trajectory of excise duties as a percentage of total tax revenues in these countries.

Looking back over the year that was, a number of developments stand out in different areas: namely mergers and acquisitions, the growth in illicit vapes, the integration of tax stamps into wider e-governance programmes, and a greater focus on sustainability in tax stamps. In the meantime, the ongoing rollout of national tobacco track and trace systems under the WHO FCTC Protocol continues at a sluggish pace.

India’s government banknote printer, the Security Printing and Minting Corporation of India Ltd (SPMCIL) has reported a 29% growth in its tax stamp division.

Interviews with International Tax Stamp Association (ITSA) members in 2023 – common threads and differences; implementing Lebanon’s tobacco authentication and traceability solution. Some of the year's headlines.

According to the latest US Tax Foundation report, ‘Cigarette Taxes and Cigarette Smuggling by State, 2022’, growing cigarette tax levels and price differentials have made cigarette smuggling a persistent, national problem in the United States. But price is not the only culprit, with state bans on flavoured tobacco and nicotine products also driving up levels of cross-state smuggling.

The Malaysian newspaper printer Ultimate Print has entered into a deal with Türkiye’s state printer, Darphane, to establish a high-security printing hub in Malaysia.

Enforcement authorities in Europe have taken down a criminal group operating an intricate cigarette trafficking scheme across several EU countries.

A few months ago, the third edition of the Tobacconomics Cigarette Tax Scorecard was published, evaluating the 2022 performance of cigarette tax policies in 170 countries. Unfortunately, the scorecard shows that governments have made insufficient progress, and even regressed, in addressing the world’s leading cause of preventable death, despite unequivocal evidence showing that when countries raise tobacco taxes, consumption declines (Ngo et al, 2023).

This article looks at the newly created, massive illicit market in vapor products originating mainly from China and sold in the United States (US). Despite being banned in both China and the US, brands like Elf Bar, Geek Bar, and Lost Mary continue to circulate. What’s more, they carry authentication labels that falsely suggest legitimacy, further exacerbating illicit trade.

The Excise Department of Thailand has launched its ‘QR Cigarette’ system, comprised of tax stamps with unique QR codes and serial numbers. By scanning the code, users can access detailed product information, such as brand, manufacturer, tax payment date, shipping location, and price.

Washington, the first state to approve marijuana use recreationally in the US, alongside Colorado, still lacks a system to properly track cannabis from production through processing to retail sale, the Office of the Washington State Auditor confirmed in an audit.

Following the UK’s decision to introduce a new excise duty on vaping products in 2026, the government has announced it will be implementing tax stamps on vapes, to accompany this new duty. At the same time, it has advised that a track and trace system will not be introduced on vapes, even though such a system is applied to traditional tobacco products in the UK.

In October, 40 participants turned up for the latest International Tax Stamp Association (ITSA) webinar, which was in Spanish only and directed towards tax and customs authorities across Latin America.

Amid an intensified crackdown against the illegal transfer of fuel in the Philippines, two tankers, carrying 370,000 litres of smuggled fuel worth over PHP 20 million ($343,000), were confiscated by the Philippines Bureau of Customs (BOC) in Navotas City in September. One month later, another tanker was caught in the act of transferring smuggled fuel into four lorries at the Port of Batangas.

Tax Stamp & Traceability News™ recently spoke to Arnaud Bansard, Sales Director, Government Affairs at EDGYN, a leading provider of physical and digital technologies for protecting brands and securing government revenues. Arnaud joined the company six months ago, with the objective of revitalising its government business. While EDGYN has been active in this area for over 20 years, and has multiple government references for tax stamps and ID documents, Arnaud’s objective is to ensure it becomes as successful in government as it is in brand protection.

Uganda’s Speaker of Parliament, Anita Among, has urged lawmakers to expedite the passage of the Anticounterfeit Goods and Services (ACG&S) Bill 2023 before the end of the year.

Throughout 2024, major brands announced acquisitions, signalling industry consolidation and a growing focus on expanding authentication and identity security portfolios. This article examines some of the key acquisitions and highlights how diversification and innovation drive sector growth.

Scientists at the John de Laeter Centre, Curtin University, Australia, have developed a technique for ‘fingerprinting’ lithium, a key ingredient in energy storage systems and rechargeable batteries for electric vehicles.

In 2024, Japan captured global attention with its advances in anticounterfeiting. The Land of the Rising Sun, known for blending tradition with technology, is setting global security standards in ensuring that everything from currency to cosmetics remains genuine. This article describes recent developments.

Digimarc Corporation, a NASDAQ-listed provider of digital watermarking technologies, has announced new developments in two main areas: brand protection and plastics recycling.

Since the late 19th century, fingerprinting has been an indispensable tool for identity verification and forensic investigation. After the initial idea of cataloguing to allow comparisons between prints for purposes of identification was formulated by Sir Francis Galton, fingerprinting became the first biometric measure accepted globally for criminal investigations. This approach provided a standardised method, eventually leading to extensive fingerprint databases used in law enforcement.

Researchers at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology have developed an innovative metasurface that exhibits distinct optical responses based on the direction of incoming light1. Named after the two-faced Roman god Janus, these metasurfaces can manipulate light differently depending on the direction it comes from. This unique ability could help to authenticate secure communications.

The world’s first multilateral crypto-stamp has been issued by postal authorities in Luxembourg, Austria, Netherlands, and Belgium, as a limited edition, marking the fact that these digital-physical collectors’ items are continuing to gain traction.

Earlier this year, the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) was warning that deepfakes – ie. video, audio and image content that seem real but are actually manipulated with AI – had been used to try to influence election results

TotalEnergies Lubrifiants has partnered with SCRIBOS (part of the KURZ group) to implement its ValiGate® Direct Print solution on lubricants.

Haelixa and Italy’s leading fashion retailer OVS have renewed their cotton traceability partnership for a second year. Using Haelixa’s DNA marker technology, cotton grown in Italy is marked at the gin, close to the farm.

The global software engineering company ELEKS has been awarded a tender to develop Ukraine’s ‘e-Excise’ tax stamp and traceability programme for tobacco and alcohol products.

It was 15 years ago, in July 2009, that the very first Tax Stamp News™ (now called Tax Stamp & Traceability News™) was published. To mark the occasion, we thought it would be interesting to go back in time, to the main news items covered by the newsletter between 2009 and today, and how they have developed over this period.

India is the largest market in the world for liquor tax stamps, given that 27 states consume 30-35 billion tax stamps annually. While tax stamps at a global level are mainly used on tobacco products as part of a federal scheme, the situation is different in India, where almost all stamps in circulation are used on alcoholic beverages at the individual state level – and no stamps are used at all on tobacco products.

Thanks to the COVID-19 tobacco sales ban in 2020, South Africa has one of the highest illicit tobacco levels in the world today, with an Ipsos study finding that almost 60% of stores across the country are selling products for less than the minimum collectable tax (MCT).

Chile’s fiscal traceability system on tobacco products (SITRAF) has been instrumental in allowing the Chilean tax authority, Servicio de Impuestos Internos (SII) to identify a company that has been illegally manufacturing cigarettes in the country.

According to experts from Brand Monitor, an online and offline market surveillance company, the demand for counterfeits of specific brands is generated not so much by end consumers as by retailers, who tend to piggyback off the marketing campaigns and reputation of brand owners, and then attract consumers with the offer of lower prices.

Work has now begun on the programme for the next Tax Stamp & Traceability Forum™, which will take place from 7-9 April 2025, in Cape Town, South Africa.

Following De La Rue’s announcement, a few months ago, that it was in discussions with several parties interested in acquiring one or both of its businesses – Authentication and Currency – the company has now entered into a definitive agreement for the sale of its Authentication division to Crane NXT, for £300 million.

Just when we thought we were getting to know what generative AI was, a more advanced kind of AI is attracting attention in the brand protection world: the agentic kind. What’s more, agentic AI for brand protection is being used to eradicate brand infringements exacerbated by its generative counterpart.

Securikett has unveiled new security labels featuring a cut indicator designed specifically for online shipping.

Following De La Rue’s announcement, a few months ago, that it was in discussions with several parties interested in acquiring one or both of its business divisions – Authentication and Currency – the company has now entered into a definitive agreement for the sale of its Authentication division to Crane NXT, for £300 million.

Continuing our series of articles on the strategic perspectives of leading brands in their fight against counterfeit and adulterated products, this month we feature Chugai Pharmaceutical, one of Japan’s top five pharma companies, and a member of Swiss healthcare multinational Roche.

Following De La Rue’s announcement, a few months ago, that it was in discussions with several parties interested in acquiring one or both of its business divisions – Authentication and Currency – the company has now entered into a definitive agreement for the sale of its Authentication division to Crane NXT, for £300 million.

According to experts from Brand Monitor, an online and offline market surveillance company, the demand for counterfeits of specific brands is generated not so much by end consumers as by retailers, who tend to piggyback off the marketing campaigns and reputation of brand owners, and draw in consumers with the temptation of lower prices.

Work has now begun on the programme for the next Tax Stamp & Traceability Forum™, which will take place from 7-9 April 2025, in Cape Town, South Africa.

Criminal activities involving counterfeit licence plates are increasing. In the United States, temporary plates have been misused for criminal activities, while in countries like Bolivia, the UK, France, and Australia, thousands of fake plates are reported annually.

Continuing our series of articles on the strategic perspectives of leading brands in their fight against fakes and adulterated products, we turn our attention to Johnson & Johnson (J&J), one of the world's largest healthcare companies.

Traditional anti-counterfeiting printing techniques use enhanced specifications such as high resolution and small dimensions to provide security within static printed images for product authentication labelling and packaging. To enhance protection still further, dynamic print technologies are being developed. One such promising technology has recently been reported in the journal 'Light: Science & Applications' by a research group in Guangzhou, China.

Soon, your fridge may notify you when your milk has gone bad without you having to open the door. Thanks to advances in printed electronics, this could become a reality.

Headquartered in Oberschleissheim, Germany, Schreiner Group is a globally active family-owned company known for its expertise in high-tech labels and functional parts, particularly in the healthcare and mobility sector. Authentication and Brand News™ spoke to Thomas Köberlein, President of the Schreiner ProTech and Pin Trust business unit, about the company's product portfolio, innovation, sustainability and vision for the future.

The year 2024 has introduced notable advances and shifts in election authentication technologies globally. Earlier in the year, we looked at the US state of Georgia’s move towards watermarked ballot papers and away from the use of QR codes to count ballots. This month, we describe how the Philippines, Sri Lanka, and Namibia are planning to secure their upcoming elections.

At Authentication & Brand News™, we regularly track new government regulations and initiatives that may impact authentication. For example, in July, we reported on the California watermarking standards bill for differentiating AI-generated from human-generated content, as well as the EU adoption of a product sustainability rule directing the establishment of digital product passports. This month, four new regulations have caught our attention.

The Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation (GCMD) has completed a two-year pilot study aimed at ensuring supply chain integrity and fuel authenticity for drop-in green fuels (ie. renewable fuels made from biomass sources that can be blended with petroleum products).

Now in its 17th year, the World Trademark Review (WTR) report ‘Anti- Counterfeiting and Online Brand Enforcement Global Guide’ combines strategic analysis with country-by-country brand protection practices.

Anticounterfeit technology provider TrueMed has announced that a top- 10 global pharmaceutical company has selected TrueMed’s AI-driven solution to strengthen its counterfeit drug investigations.

UAE-based E7 Group, a provider of commercial printing, security solutions, sustainable packaging, and logistics services, has announced a significant AED 182 million (approximately $50 million) investment in its security solutions division, E7 Security.

Between January and August this year, Gambia Revenue Authority (GRA) collected GMD 48,470,427.78 ($702,000) in excise duties, compared to just GMD 6,312,608.78 ($91,000) the previous year. This significant increase represents more than 800% of the country’s total excise revenue mobilisation.

KPMG has released its latest annual study on illicit cigarettes in Europe1, commissioned by Philip Morris Products SA. The study shows that while illicit consumption in the 27 EU member states declined by 0.6 billion sticks in 2023, to reach 35.2 billion, overall illicit consumption in the 38 markets covered by the study rose by 3%, reaching 52.2 billion sticks.

Florida-based Metrc has launched Retail ID™, a serialised QR code solution for enhancing cannabis supply chain transparency at retail level. Rather than replacing Metrc’s existing RFID tag system on cannabis plants and bulk packaging, the code is intended to complement it.

UAE-based E7 Group, a provider of commercial printing, security solutions, sustainable packaging, and logistics services, has announced a significant AED 182 million (approximately $50 million) investment in its security solutions division, E7 Security.

Recognising the importance of track and trace systems for curbing tax evasion in key industries such as tobacco, cement, sugar, and fertiliser, the new Prime Minister of Pakistan, Shehbaz Sharif, has constituted a 10-member task force to address the technical, legal, and administrative challenges hindering the progress of such systems.

The global scale of counterfeit and other illicitly traded cement is a significant issue, particularly in developing countries like Pakistan, Kenya, Uganda, and Nigeria. This article looks at how these countries are tackling the problem.

Intergraf's recent report 'Comparing Print and Digital Media’, provides an overview of studies comparing print and digital communication tools in the context of sustainability, efficiency, and consumer preference. However, some of the findings of the report are also relevant for authentication.

This article outlines K&B's evolving strategy, recent partnerships and core technologies, all contributing to what the company calls its ‘Authentication Solution Portfolio’ – a portfolio of non-invasive authentication solutions.

Post-COVID, everyone, including counterfeiters, learned how to use QR codes more effectively and how powerful and persuasive the online environment can be, including for the repetitive launching of small online outlets with fakes.

According to Statista, the e-cigarette market is expected to generate $26 billion in revenue in 2024, with a projected global compound annual growth rate of 3.93% between 2024-2029. However, the vape industry, like other sectors, is having to deal with counterfeit products.

State security printers in Asia are transforming as a result of a fast-changing economic and technological environment, from currency and secure document producers to digital identification and authentication providers.

To mark 15 years since the first Tax Stamp News™ was published, Tax Stamp & Traceability News™ is going back in time to the main news items covered by the newsletter between 2009 and today, looking at how they have developed over this period.

Those round-shaped magenta discs that, since 2006, have adorned the labels of UK spirits and wine bottles, as a visual proof of duty paid, now look set to disappear, following a government announcement that the discs will be abolished once a review by HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) has taken place.

The Philippines’ House Ways and Means Committee has approved legislation that will expand the country’s tobacco tax stamp system into a more comprehensive approach for tracking the entire supply chain of tobacco products, including their origin, route, and final point of sale.

Following complaints over £5 fines being dished out to the recipients of letters and parcels suspected of carrying counterfeit postage stamps, the UK postal service, Royal Mail, has launched a scanner tool in its app that lets customers check if a stamp is counterfeit.

Metrc has announced a new contract with the State of California, retaining its role as the state’s cannabis track and trace software provider.

The Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation (GCMD) has completed a two-year pilot study aimed at ensuring supply chain integrity and fuel authenticity for drop-in green fuels (ie. renewable fuels made from biomass sources that can be blended with petroleum products).

In a recent website article, the Peter G Peterson Foundation, a US nonprofit organisation for building a sustainable fiscal path, took a look at excise taxes in the US and how they fit into the federal budget.

Authentix has announced an exclusive partnership with ARMOR-IIMAK, a global player in the thermal transfer ribbon printing industry, to provide brand owners and their authorised contract manufacturers with a new covert security ink available in thermal transfer ribbon format.

It was 15 years ago, in July 2009, that the very first Tax Stamp News™ (now called Tax Stamp & Traceability News™) was published. To mark the occasion, we thought it would be interesting to go back in time, to the main news items covered by the newsletter between 2009 and today, and how they have developed over this period.

Microsoft Italy and the Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca dello Stato (IPZS – the Italian Mint) have launched a strategic collaboration based on artificial intelligence to protect the authenticity of Italian products from counterfeiting. One of the pilot projects for this collaboration relates to the most exported Italian wine in the world, but also the most imitated: Prosecco.

Combining physical and digital elements on tax stamps ensures that the strengths of both are exploited, and the weaknesses of each are covered. The International Tax Stamp Association (ITSA) is pleased to announce the launch of a social media campaign examining the topic in depth, featuring quotes from industry insiders and stories from around the world that demonstrate the strength of a ‘phygital’ approach.

The Korea Minting, Security Printing and ID Card Operating Corp (KOMSCO) has developed a tax stamp in collaboration with VOICEYE, a 2D high-density barcode solution specialist, with a focus on critical global markets like tobacco, alcohol, and pharmaceuticals.

During the Philippine Vape Festival, held in August, the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) seized over 5,000 illicit vape products displayed and offered for sale at the event. The main way of identifying the vapes were illicit was their lack of tax stamps.

Marks & Spencer, a leading UK retailer, has teamed up with Polytag, a recycling technology company, to track the journey of its drinks bottles, cartons, and other plastic packaging. Meanwhile, India is grappling with the widespread counterfeiting of extended producer responsibility certificates by plastic waste recyclers.

The Authentication Solution Providers’ Association (ASPA) recently organised a webinar titled ‘Authenticity Matters: Protecting FMCG & Nutraceuticals from Counterfeits’, as part of its ongoing efforts to combat counterfeiting in India.

By 2025, more than 100 million smartphone users in the US will use a QR code scanner on their mobile devices, compared to 70.6 million in 2020. But how can citizens be sure that what they are scanning is legitimate?

A small label maker in Japan, Nakagawa Industry, has developed an anticounterfeting thread called Shirushi (meaning ‘mark’ or ‘sign’), which is printed with a brand’s name and woven into labels.

Recent investigations have revealed a concerning trend of counterfeit medicines infiltrating India’s pharmaceutical supply chain and hospitals. Incidents across various regions have highlighted the pervasive issue of spurious drugs circulating widely, from the national capital, New Delhi, to major cities like Mumbai, Hyderabad, and rural areas.

VDMA, the largest network organisation for mechanical engineering in Germany and Europe, has published its new study ‘Industrial Security and Product Piracy 2024’. The study reveals a significant decrease in the number of companies affected by product and brand piracy, but highlights the increasing need for measures against digital threats.

Authentix has announced an exclusive partnership with ARMOR- IIMAK, a global player in the thermal transfer ribbon printing industry, to provide brand owners and their authorised contract manufacturers with a new covert security ink available in thermal transfer ribbon format.

De La Rue has announced its full year results for the period ending 30 March 2024, with its Authentication division (which mainly comprises brand protection and tax stamp programmes) achieving record sales of £103.2 million.

Reconnaissance International – co-publishers of Currency News™ (and a leading global source of business intelligence on currency, identity, authentication, tax stamps, and traceability) – have unveiled a new industry reference glossary.

De La Rue has announced its full year results for the period ending 30 March 2024, with its Authentication division (including tax stamp programmes) achieving record sales of £103.2 million. This figure surpasses the division’s £100 million target, and represents a 12.5% increase over 2023. The results are, however, overshadowed by a £235 million loan that becomes payable next July.

As has thankfully become a bit of a tradition again, post-COVID, ITSA (International Tax Stamp Association) recently held a pre-conference seminar on the occasion of the High Security Printing™ Latin America conference, which this year took place in Santiago, Chile.

This article presents an integrated approach for ensuring producers of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB) correctly report the volumes they put on the market (POM) and pay the appropriate SSB taxes and recycling fees.

Texas-based security solutions provider Authentix has acquired the authentication business assets of Meta Materials – namely, Nanotech Security Corporation (NSC) – for $10 million, excluding assets such as cash and real estate.

By 2025, more than 100 million smartphone users in the US will use a QR code scanner on their mobile devices, compared to 70.6 million in 2020. But how can citizens be sure that what they are scanning is legitimate?

According to Statista, the e-cigarette market is projected to generate revenue of $26 billion in 2024, with a 3.93% global compound annual growth rate between 2024-2029. While the legitimate market is growing, the vape industry, like other sectors, is plagued by counterfeit and other illicit products.

Traceability is far from a new concept. In the 1930s, it certified the origin of premium goods like French champagne. Today, it is more relevant than ever.

Over the last few years, the corporate agenda has increased demand for secure and sustainable brand protection solutions. Authentication & Brand News™ reported a few such developments in the March 2024 issue and, moving forward, is sharing Crane Authentication’s latest announcement.

Texas-based security solutions provider Authentix has acquired the authentication business assets of Meta Materials – namely, Nanotech Security Corporation (NSC) – for $10 million, excluding certain assets such as cash and real estate.

Addressing the increasing demand for a simple user experience for configuring and pairing IoT devices, Infineon Technologies has launched the OPTIGA™ Authenticate NBT, an NFC I2C bridge tag for contactless authentication and secured configuration.

In collaboration with the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology and the National Institute for Materials Science, a research team, including Hitachi scientists, has developed image acquisition and defocusing correction techniques to observe atomic-scale magnetic fields using a Hitachi holographic electron microscope at a resolution of 0.47nm.

A team of researchers from Western University, Canada, has developed a new type of persistent luminescence nanomaterial using the Canadian Light Source synchrotron (a type of circular particle accelerator).

Francisco Mandiola looks at some interesting developments in seafood traceability, including a new certification system in Chile that captures images of fish on a conveyer line and then uses specific algorithms to identify each species.

Take a look at TSTN’s main news items between 2009-2011, including problems faced with finalising the FCTC Protocol, efforts in the US to introduce federal tax stamps on cigarettes, and the industry’s growing acceptance of digital/physical solutions, unique identifying codes and smartphone authentication.

Differentiating between AI and ‘real’ content in California, the EU adopts a new product sustainability rule, and the US Federal Communications Commission votes to create a cybersecurity labelling programme for IoT devices.

Famous writer and fisherman A K Best said it best – pardon the pun – with his quote: ‘the fishing was good, it was the catching that was bad’. Although he was not referring to traceability systems, the quote sums up one of the main reasons for implementing traceability on seafood: to prevent non-compliant fishing practices.

Metrc, the leading provider of cannabis regulatory technology systems to US state governments, has announced a new contract with the Twenty-Nine Palms Band of Mission Indians, a federally recognised Native American tribe located in Southern California. This represents the first ever track and trace contract with a tribal government.

According to the Sarajevo Times, the implementation of increased controls by Bosnia and Herzegovina’s tax authority and law enforcement agencies have drastically reduced the tobacco black market in the country, to the point where tobacco excise revenues are expected to exceed BAM 1 billion ($548 million) for the first time in history.

In the May 2024 issue of Tax Stamp & Traceability News™, we described how a white paper published by an informal EU parliamentary working group on tobacco products had highlighted the permeability of some European Commission departments to tobacco industry lobbying. The paper raised concerns that such permeability was causing delays in the revision of two important tobacco regulations: one on taxation and one on traceability.

Smurfit Kappa Security Concepts (SKSC) has invested over €3 million in a brand new custom press (Perfect NT security printing press) from Rotatek.

In a rapidly evolving excise landscape in which counterfeit goods and tax evasion pose major challenges, the incorporation of both physical and digital elements on tax stamps has emerged as a critical strategy for governments and businesses alike.

Food fraud has become quite the trend globally and, in May 2024, the World Trade Organisation (WTO) published a report on illicit trade in food and food fraud.

Following a tender process launched in 2022, the Ethiopian Ministry of Finance has recently introduced a new excise stamp management directive.

Researchers in China have developed a method for identifying counterfeit cigarettes, based on the stable isotope profiles of the tobacco contained within them.

Reconnaissance International has unveiled a new industry reference glossary, containing over 700 sector-specific terms and definitions.

Reconnaissance International – the leading global source of business intelligence on currency, identity, authentication and traceability – has unveiled a new industry reference glossary.

According to McKinsey, the global radio frequency identification (RFID) technology market will reach $97.5 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 14.4% between 2022-2030.

A research team at the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, China has devised an innovative method to prepare carbonised polymer nanodots capable of emitting multicolour ultralong room-temperature phosphorescence (RTP) ranging from blue to green. These materials demonstrate significant potential applications in anticounterfeiting and information encryption.

Smurfit Kappa Security Concepts (SKSC) has invested over €3 million in a brand new custom press (Perfect NT security printing press) from Rotatek.

Xeikon, a provider of digital printing presses, has partnered with KURZ and SCRIBOS (part of the KURZ group) to offer a solution that enables digital label printers to combine variable metallic elements, serialised QR codes with embedded copy- protection patterns, and interactive features… all in a single printing pass.

At the Optical & Digital Document Security (ODDS) conference in April, Michael Natan, President of Diametryx Inc, presented this new company’s intriguing colour-change particles for use as an overt security feature.

At the recent World Seed Congress in the Netherlands, the International Seed Federation (ISF) signed what is being hailed as an ‘historic agreement’ with 12 organisations to combat illegal seed practices.

Following on from last month’s Authentication & Brand News™ article on the mass counterfeiting of barcoded postage stamps in the UK, a woman from California, USA, has pleaded guilty to defrauding the United States Postal Service (USPS) out of more than $150 million in a counterfeit postage scam in Los Angeles.

Macau is facing the common crime of counterfeit casino chips. In the latest incident, police arrested five men for defrauding a casino using 585 counterfeit chips. Each chip was marked with a denomination of HK$10,000 ($1,280), tricking the casino out of at least HK$1.8 million.

De La Rue, the banknote printer and substrate manufacturer, authentication solutions provider and producer of security holograms, has announced it is in discussions with several parties interested in acquiring one or both of its divisions: Authentication and Currency.

According to a new research report published in the journal Langmuir, scientists have successfully developed a new photopatterning technique that creates two light-reactive images in one material.

With a focus on developing high end security pigments, Luminochem has released a demo video showing how its LuminoMark UV fluorescent pigments can be applied on medicine blisters for brand protection.

As of 31 May, Chile’s largest beverage company, CCU, will increase consumer prices on nectars, hypotonic and isotonic drinks, by 9%, to absorb a change in the calculation of value-added tax on non-alcoholic drinks. The change was announced in April by the Servicio de Impuestos Internos (SII), Chile’s tax authority.

Between October-December 2023, the UK Tobacco Manufacturers’ Association (TMA) commissioned a nationwide poll of 12,000 smokers on their attitudes, awareness and understanding of illegal tobacco. This is the ninth year this survey has been carried out.

At the end of April, Gelmer Leibbrandt, Managing Director of Royal Joh Enschedé, signed a new contract with the Dutch Customs Authority for the printing of tobacco tax stamps, thereby continuing a service that has already lasted for over 100 consecutive years.

Xeikon, a provider of digital printing presses, has partnered with KURZ and SCRIBOS (part of the KURZ group) to offer a solution that enables digital label printers to combine variable metallic elements, serialised QR codes with embedded copy-protection patterns, and interactive features… all in a single printing pass.

In 2023, an informal EU parliamentary working group on tobacco products, led by French MEPs Anne-Sophie Pelletier, Pierre Larrouturou and the late Michèle Rivasi, organised a number of roundtables to discuss how the permeability of some European Commission departments to tobacco industry lobbying was causing delays in the revision of two important regulations (see TSTN July 2023).

At the Optical & Digital Document Security™ (ODDS) conference in April, Michael Natan, President of Diametryx Inc, presented this new company’s intriguing colour-change particles for use as an overt security feature.

In a recent Ukrainian National News (UNN) article, Oleksandr Ruvin, Director of the Kyiv Scientific Research Institute of Forensic Expertise, described the steps taken by the institute to identify smuggled cigarettes and counterfeits of well-known brands, with tax stamps featuring high on the list of elements to check.

A new labelling technology that prints a QR code directly onto food such as fruit has been developed by a team of researchers in South Korea, according to an announcement by the country’s Ministry of Science and ICT.

In this month’s interview with a member of the International Tax Stamp Association (ITSA), we delve into Thailand’s tax stamp and security printing market courtesy of Chanwanich CEO Ronnachai Kongboonma, exploring how the nation’s industry has developed over the past century and how it’s likely to evolve in the coming years.

Reconnaissance International (publisher of Tax Stamp & Traceability News™ – TSTN) has announced that the 2024 Holography Conference Online (THCO) will be held on 12-13 November. The call for papers is now open, and delegates are invited to submit a proposal to present by 13 September 2024.

A new labelling technology that prints a QR code directly onto food such as fruit has been developed by a team of researchers in South Korea, according to an announcement by the country’s Ministry of Science and ICT.

Reconnaissance International has announced that the 2024 Holography Conference Online (THCO) will be held on 12-13 November. The call for papers is now open, and delegates are invited to submit a proposal to present by 13 September 2024.

An article in the April 2024 edition of this newsletter examined the drivers to sustainable practices in brand protection. The aim of this article is to extend this examination into the business case for sustainability, which is more than simply being seen as a good corporate citizen.

Following the sale at auction of a 1983 Apple business card signed by Steve Jobs, for the colossal price of $181,183 (the highest ever paid for a business card), we thought it an opportune time to explore the science behind authenticating autographs and collectibles.

Researchers at the Centre for Pattern Recognition and Machine Intelligence (CENPARMI), at Concordia University, Canada, have developed a novel framework that uses image-mining techniques and machine learning algorithms to identify flaws in counterfeit coins.

A new trend among counterfeiters is to target high-value drugs like HIV antivirals in both the developing and developed world. This problem was highlighted in 2020 and 2021, when Janssen Pharmaceuticals and Gilead warned that counterfeits of several HIV medications had been discovered circulating in the US.

In a new approach, scientists are developing accessible and affordable methods to enable more comprehensive detection and identification of illicit distilled spirit products.

A woman from California, USA, has pleaded guilty to defrauding the United States Postal Service (USPS) out of more than $150 million in a counterfeit postage scam in Los Angeles.

In April, StockX, the online reseller (primarily of sneakers), released its first ‘Brand Protection & Customer Trust Report’, offering a view into its anticounterfeiting and fraud prevention activities in 2023.

Gilead Science’s comprehensive measures to ensure medicine safety, from tablet design to vials and packaging.

From 8-10 April, Portugal's vibrant city of Lisbon played host to the 2024 Optical & Digital Security™ (ODDS) conference, providing a collaborative environment for the ID, currency, and secure document technical community to convene, exchange ideas, and unveil new security technologies.

In a blow to India's pharmaceutical export ambitions, implementation of the country’s planned track and trace (T&T) system has hit another roadblock, with the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) announcing a one-year extension that pushes the deadline to February 2025. This delay follows a previous setback in August 2023.

The UK Intellectual Property Office (IPO) has unveiled its latest targeted awareness campaign, designed to help tackle consumer demand for counterfeit goods.

Although this article concerns ongoing problems with the counterfeiting of postage stamps, some of these stamps now carry a combination of physical and digital features common to tax stamps. Our industry may therefore be interested in recent developments around the counterfeiting of these ‘new-age’ postage stamps.

Work will soon begin on preparing the programme for the next Tax Stamp & Traceability Forum™, which will take place from 7-9 April 2025, in Cape Town, South Africa.

In our third 2024 interview with a member of the International Tax Stamp Association (ITSA), we speak to Marietta Ulrich- Horn, Co-Founder and CEO of Securikett.

Depending on who you ask, Panama – which recently played host to the COP9 meeting of parties to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) – is either a best-in- class example of a country using tobacco controls to excellent effect, or the world’s biggest hub for illicit cigarette trade.

While the banknote industry often laments the limited real estate available on a banknote, tax stamps are typically 10 times smaller than notes. Furthermore, most stamps are required to carry variable data as well as multilevel security features adapted to different users with different authentication capabilities.

The liquor industry in India is a major source of excise revenue that needs protecting against non-compliance and illicit trade. To this end, two decades ago, the Indian state of Kerala introduced hologram- embedded security tax labels on Indian-made foreign liquor (IMFL).

Recent developments in the authentication industry, including: a new authentication contract for De La Rue, Royal Canadian Mint tracks the integrity of gold, and Certified Collectibles Group acquires a leading autograph authentication company.

The European Commission has adopted a recommendation to combat offline and online counterfeiting and enhance intellectual property rights enforcement.

Products are already starting to appear in this sector. For example, Authentication & Brand News, March 2024, contained an article on sustainable tamper-evident closure seals.

From 1 June 2024, Kyrgyzstan plans to introduce mandatory marking on all types of fuel products. In particular, it is looking to mark gasoline and diesel fuel – sold exclusively at filling stations – with irremovable molecular markers.

The UK’s Royal Mail is investigating a recent case of mass counterfeiting of its new barcoded stamps.

This article explores recent developments around holography technology, from combining origination processes and using AI for hologram detection to developing novel methods for controlling light polarisation.

Pakistan’s economy is currently going through a crucial period, like many other economies in the world. Along with unprecedented floods and political turmoil, the economy is beset by skyrocketing interest rates and inflation, as well as a decline in imports.

Crane NXT, a leading industrial technology company, has signed a definitive agreement with Investcorp Technology Partners to acquire OpSec Security for $270 million in cash, subject to customary adjustments.

The state of Uttarakhand in India has invited bids for full polyester holographic tax stamps to replace paper-based stamps on alcohol products, amid protests that the polyester stamps contravene a country-wide government ban on single- use plastic items below 100 microns in thickness.

Some years ago, I was asked to give a speech to a Latin American country’s customs authority with respect to fuel marking. To prepare for my presentation, I spoke to several suppliers and did some research with respect to alternatives and positive results around the world.

It’s time to get your agendas out and save the dates for two in-person tax stamp and traceability events.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) South-East Asia Region has released a new research report on the illicit trade of tobacco in the region, with the conclusion that illicit levels are ‘generally not alarmingly high in most south-east Asian (SEA) countries’.

A number of recent developments in tamper proof labels caught our attention, two of which are described in this article.

During his 2024 national budget speech, in February, Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana said the South African Revenue Service (SARS) was deploying closed-circuit television (CCTV) and related technologies on the premises of licensed tobacco manufacturers, to address the high levels of illicit tobacco.

While many tax stamp programmes in operation today are delivering significant benefits (including increased tax collections), other programmes are not so successful. Why is this?

Continuing our series on brand protection programmes implemented by some of the world’s biggest brand owners, this month we turn our attention to the Chinese technology company Xiaomi, one of the youngest companies on the Fortune Global 500 and among the largest smartphone manufacturers in the world.

In the digital age, the security of electronic devices is paramount, not only to safeguard sensitive data but also to ensure the integrity of the hardware itself.

Crane NXT, whose subsidiaries include Crane Currency, Crane Authentication and Crane Payment Innovations, has announced it has signed a definitive agreement with Investcorp Technology Partners to acquire the optical technologies and brand protection specialist OpSec Security for $270 million in cash, subject to customary adjustments.

While they say no to barcodes, Georgia voters could see a watermark on their ballot beginning in November, a move Republican supporters said would assure citizens that their ballots are authentic.

According to estimates, 30 to 40% of all African qualifications are falsified and/or fake. The article explores recent regional developments, combating fraudulent degrees and certificates.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) South-East Asia Region has released a new research report on the illicit trade of tobacco in the region, with the conclusion that illicit levels are ‘generally not alarmingly high in most South-East Asian (SEA) countries’.

In our second 2024 interview with members of the International Tax Stamp Association (ITSA), we speak to Barna Barabás, Co-Managing Director of JURA, a global brand name in security printing.

One of the fundamental security features used in manufacturing lottery ticket paper is advanced printing techniques such as watermarking. Further, lottery tickets often incorporate tamper-evident features, which include special adhesives designed to reveal any attempts at ticket tampering or alteration.

The Third Patent Plate is a technological solution that combines physical and digital security measures on a self-adhesive label, applied to the inside of a vehicle’s windshield.

The UK Intellectual Property Office (IPO) has unveiled its latest targeted awareness campaign, designed to help tackle consumer demand for counterfeit goods.

As sustainability becomes an ever-present item on board meeting agendas, we notice the emergence of many new eco-friendly security solution developments, including sustainable closure seals that provide tamper evidence.

The Third session of the Meeting of the Parties to the Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products (MOP3) concluded on 15 February, in Panama City, after taking ‘decisive action to combat illicit trade in tobacco products’, according to a press release from the Secretariat of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC).

In the first of our 2024 interview series, we explore the tax stamp industry from an insider perspective, delving into its challenges, opportunities, and potential developments with International Tax Stamp Association (ITSA) members.

In 2023, we analysed how Chile’s cigarette traceability system, SITRAF (Sistema de Trazabilidad Fiscal) had been performing since its inception in 2019. At that time, a study conducted by local economists found that the implementation of the system in Chile had resulted in better control of legitimate sales and increased revenues.

The programme for the third Optical and Digital Document Security™ (ODDS) conference is now available.

In this country case study, Tim McIntyre, Senior Director Excise Control, Canadian Bank Note Company, describes the journey to legalisation of recreational cannabis in Canada, including the launch of an excise regime for a brand new market.

Traceability solution provider Aware claimed to have achieved the ‘world’s first’ fully infield-traceable recycled polyester.

Interview between Authentication & Brand News and Judy Moon, Digimarc, Vice President

Continuing our series of articles on the strategic perspectives of leading brands in their fight against fakes, this month we turn our attention to Novartis, one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world, and the fourth largest in terms of revenue in 2022.

Meta Materials, working on advanced materials and nanotechnology, now releases its new product – NANO™ protect. With this, META has enhanced its authentication portfolio – NANO™ protect and LiveOptik® for brand protection and LumaChrome and QUANTUM™ Stripe for banknotes.

Following the expansion of the secure registry of holographic images and its relaunch as the Security Image Register (SIR) last month, the IHMA has announced it will be holding a webinar focusing on the SIR and its benefits for suppliers and their customers on 17 April.

The International Hologram Manufacturers Association (IHMA) is strengthening its presence in China to boost growth and promote the technology’s benefits to brand owners, government authorities and sector suppliers.

While counterfeiting is not a new problem, many sports Brands are switching to innovations such as DNA taggants, NFC, blockchain and NFT applications.

The system, proposed in 2011 and aimed at combating counterfeit drugs and improving transparency in drug exports and pharmaceutical supply chain, has been meeting repeated challenges stemming from difficulties within the industry and representation from the industry leaders. Technical obstacles and concerns regarding system readiness have contributed to this hurdle.

A recent EU Intellectual Property Office study has found that sales of legitimate clothing and footwear, cosmetics and toys suffer annual losses of €12 billion, €3 billion and €1 billion, respectively. Across these sectors, Germany, France, Italy, Spain and Austria incur the biggest losses, with nearly €8 billion in reduced sales of genuine goods.

African governments are fighting the fake medicine scourge using technological advancements, track and trace systems, joint investigations, and strategic collaborations.

In response to the European Union's (EU) Digital Product Passport (DPP) initiative, the International Tax Stamp Association (ITSA) has crafted comprehensive recommendations to ensure a secure and interoperable implementation.

The European Pallet Association (EPAL) UK & Ireland, the umbrella association of licensed producers and repairers of EPAL load carriers, has launched Euro QR code pallets to boost supply chain visibility, improve efficiency, and optimise stock management.

The article explores 'pay-as-you-throw' waste tax, a new Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) charging scheme and the authentication possibilities supporting the recyclability efforts. Under the scheme, Hong Kong residents must buy designated rubbish bags to dispose of their domestic, commercial and industrial waste.

In 2023, Sovereign Border Solutions (SBS) wrote a series of three articles for Tax Stamp & Traceability News™ focusing on free trade zones (FTZs) and how they have become ‘hotspots’ for the illicit economy.

During the 2023 Tax Stamp and Traceability Forum™, held in Tbilisi, Georgia, I chaired a panel discussion on a topic that remains of ongoing interest to tax authorities: how are tax stamps really being authenticated in the field, and how are inspectors ensuring taxpayer compliance?

Lebanon is one of the few nations where the tobacco sector, including tobacco leaf farming and manufacturing, falls under state control.

A new report based on survey findings among Council of Europe member states has confirmed the existence of falsified medical devices in the EU.

Continuing our series of articles on the strategic perspectives of leading brands in their fight against fakes, this month we turn our attention to Novartis, one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world, and the fourth largest in terms of revenue in 2022.

2024 promises to be an exciting year for the authentication industry, as seven of the world's ten biggest countries will be voting in national elections.

The programme for the third Optical and Digital Document Security™ (ODDS) conference is now available.

In the world of wine retailing, where the origin of a grape can massively impact the value of the finished bottle, the temptation to pass off one provenance of grape in favour of another is overwhelming.

Last year, we launched a series of interviews with International Tax Stamp Association (ITSA) members to collect personal insights into the advances, challenges and possible future developments shaping the tax stamp industry’s evolution.

In 2023, security solution providers continued developing optical features and solutions, often combined with covert security, tamper-evidence, unique identifiers, and associated data management systems. This re-confirmed the position and importance of overt security features. At the same time, suppliers embraced physical/digital ('phygital') solutions that drew them into the realm of near-field communication (NFC), blockchain, and non-fungible tokens (NFTs).

The SIR is an expanded and rebranded 2.0 version of HIR and reflects the changing realities of the global security printing industry. As holograms are increasingly incorporated with other optically variable devices (OVDs) to provide integrated, added value and advanced anti-counterfeiting solutions, the new SIR will include all optical security technologies falling within the general term of OVD.

The manufacturing and sale of counterfeit beverages is alarmingly high in Pakistan, particularly in Punjab, the country’s most populated province. This illegal activity is continuing unabated, despite raids and confiscation of machinery carried out by the Punjab Food Authority (PFA).

A brief review covering innovation and technologies showcased at the 2023 High Security Printing™ (HSP) Asia conference which took place in Colombo, Sri Lanka, from 4-6 December.

Bangladesh is known for having one of the fastest growing populations, but probably not so well-known is the fact that it is also one of the largest exporters of prawns (shrimp) in the world.