Bestway Wholesale, the UK’s largest independent wholesaler, is offering to help its wholesale and best-one customers prepare for the new Track and Trace legislation which impacts the tobacco supply chain from next month.
Over 2,000 customers have already signed up for support via the Bestway Wholesale website, which offers to obtain the relevant codes required as part of the legislation, on behalf of retailers.
Bestway is also helping customers to understand how the legislation impacts them. For retailers all they need is an Economic Operator Identifier Code for themselves and a Facility Identifier Code for each of the stores in which they sell tobacco products. Registration for codes will be done online and Bestway Wholesale has a service on their website which enables Bestway to register on the retailer’s behalf, as soon as the UKID portal opens.
Retailers will need their codes when purchasing the new Track and Trace compliant tobacco products from their wholesaler from the 20th May 2019. However, there is a one year sell through for non-compliant stock and this will be available from Bestway whilst stocks last, after 20th May.
Kenton Burchell, Trading Director at Bestway Wholesale says: “The new Track and Trace legislation will have a positive impact if it prevents illicit trade and improves public health, however the short timescales the industry and government departments have been working to has put a lot of pressure on the industry.
“We’re playing our part in helping all retailers prepare for the legislation which comes into effect on 20th May. All customers need to do is visit the track and trace page on our website, where they can verify the details we hold for them and give us permission to apply for the codes on their behalf.”
Retailers should be aware that it is their legal responsibility to ensure the details registered are correct and that their purchases will be monitored by HMRC.
The process to apply for codes from the appointed ID provider opens on 30th April 2019 and anyone who does not have the relevant codes from 20th May 2019, will not be able to buy or sell track and trace tobacco.
The legislation also requires tobacco product manufacturers to make changes to cigarette packaging; adding a Unique Identifier Code to each packet and five specific security features. Wholesalers will need to use scanners to track tobacco sales and input buyers Identifier Codes as part of the process too.
For more information, retailers can visit www.bestwaywholesale.co.uk/trackandtrace or https://www.gov.uk/guidance/selling-and-storing-tobacco-products.
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