News in Brief

Oman Announced Changes

Oman has announced changes to the implementation timeframe and scope for extending its tax stamp and digital traceability programme to excisable drinks.

Oman cigarette stamp.

The programme, which is provided by De La Rue, was initially introduced on cigarettes in 2022, followed by shisha and other tobacco products.

The Oman Tax Authority (OTA) had intended to further expand the programme to include carbonated drinks, energy drinks and sweetened drinks, by May 2023, but this was postponed to 31 January 2025.

Recently, the OTA announced a further postponement in that stamps must now be applied and activated on products entering Oman from 1 June 2025, and all products circulating in the country without tax stamps after 1 August 2025 will be prohibited. In addition, sweetened drinks have been removed from the scope of the programme until further notice, but alcoholic drinks have been added to it.

Two stamp marking methods will be available to stakeholders: serialised directtoproduct markers and physical labels.