Stamping Out Fraud and Tax Evasion

Tax stamps have been around since the late 17th century and were originally embossed or impressed on products or documents. Today, they have evolved from simple adhesive labels into sophisticated tools that play a crucial role in revenue protection and tax compliance.

Peter Thomas, Managing Director, Smurfit Westrock Security Concepts

Tax stamps are of increasing importance for a number of reasons, such as helping to reduce fraud and ensure that all taxable products enter the market legally, thereby protecting public revenue. Governments use tax stamps to verify that excise taxes on goods – such as alcohol, tobacco, fuel, and, increasingly, even cannabis or luxury products – have been properly paid.

Following a competitive tender, we have recently been awarded a contract by the Office of the Revenue Commissioners, the Irish Government agency responsible for customs, excise, taxation and related matters, for the supply of tobacco tax stamps. Under the terms of the deal, we will be responsible for the printing and supply of the tax stamps to be applied to specified tobacco products for the Irish market to help ensure that the products are legitimate, and duty paid.