What applies to tobacco manufacturers and importers
Tobacco manufacturers and importers are responsible for marking the products with the traceability marking and the security features. This has to be done in a correct manner to secure that the markings cannot be tampered with.
If you manufacture or import cigarettes or roll-your-own tobacco to Sweden, you must mark your products with a traceability marking and also a security features consisting of at least the five authentication elements laid down in the Public Health Agency of Sweden's regulation on security features on unit packets of tobacco products (link below). These markings must be on all unit packets in order to be sold.
The Public Health Agency’s regulations on security marking on unit packets of tobacco products; HSLF-FS 2019:4 (in Swedish)
With effect from 20 May 2024, all tobacco products sold on the Swedish market must bear a traceability marking and a security feature.
If aggregated unique identifiers have been created, these shall also be marked on the aggregated units.
Application of the unique identifiers
As a manufacturer or importer, you are responsible for putting a unique identifiers on all unit products. The unique identifiers shall be applied to the unit packet or aggregated package with a data carrier with an optical machine-readable code and also a human readable code.
More information on ordering unique identifiers and the traceability system
Data carrier
The optically readable code on the unit packet shall be in one of the three approved formats in Article 21.1 of Implementing Regulation 2018/574.
The optically readable code on the aggregated package shall be in one of the three approved formats in Article 21.5 of Implementing Regulation 2018/574.
In order to distinguish the data carrier for traceability from other data carriers which may be present on unit packets or aggregated packages, TTT may be added to the marking next to the data carrier.
Time stamp
To codes generated by the ID issuer, you must add a time stamp in the format YYMMDDhh, a total of 8 characters. The time stamp shall indicate the time of manufacture and may either be included in the data carrier or printed separately on the packaging in human readable format.
Human readable code
You are responsible for ensuring that each data carrier also contains a code that can be read by humans and that makes it possible to search for the unique identification marking in the database system. If the dimensions of the packaging so permit, the human readable code shall be next to the optical data carrier with the unique identification marking.
For unit packets, the human readable code shall be the ID issuer's code (QCALL) and the unique serial number (9 characters).
Method for applying the security feature
As a manufacturer or importer, you are responsible for putting a security feature on all unit products. The security feature must be affixed to the packet under the cellophane cover and designed in such a way that it cannot be reused, which means that it should leave marks or break if removed or when the packet is opened.
The security feature may be applied to unit packets of tobacco products using one of the following methods:
- Affixing
- Printing
- A combination of affixing and printing.
Security features shall be placed on unit packets of tobacco products in such a way as to:
- allows for the identification and verification of the authenticity of an individual unit packet of tobacco product for the entire time the tobacco product is placed on the market; and
- protects it from being replaced, reused or modified in any way.
Regulations
The regulations on which the information is based, can be found in the following links:
Chapter 3 Sections 7-11 Act (2018:2088) on tobacco and similar products (riksdagen.se) (in Swedish)
Chapter 3 Sections 3-8 Regulation 2019:223 On tobacco and similar products (riksdagen.se) (in Swedish)
As an actor who deals in tobacco, you always have an obligation to know what applies by law. The information on this website is intended solely to help you, and does not replace what is written in the law. There may also be other laws or regulations from other authorities that you must be aware of. The Public Health Agency continuously updates the content, but we cannot guarantee that the information on the page is always completely up to date.
