Hong Kong Pilots Holographic Tax Stamps on Cigarettes

Hong Kong Customs has started a threemonth pilot scheme under its new duty stamp system to tackle illicit tobacco sales and ensure tax compliance.

The initiative, which began on 6 October, introduces holographic labels – referred to as trial duty stamps – on duty-paid cigarette packs to distinguish legitimate products from untaxed ones.

Launched in two versions, the labels feature a QR code, a unique serial number, and a holographic security feature that helps distinguish them from counterfeits.

The green label is placed on the top right corner of cigarette packs by local manufacturers during the production process, while the blue label covers the top front panel of imported packs and is applied by customs officers at designated border control points.

The new scheme comes amid a sharp rise in the sale of illicit cigarettes following multiple duty hikes. Customs seized 200 million sticks worth HKD 1 billion ($128 million) in the first five months of 2025 – a 425% increase from the same period last year.