Retailers have been urged to check they have valid track-and-trace (T&T) details to buy tobacco, following a claim the regulation prevented a retailer from returning hundreds of pounds-worth of stock.

From 1 March, the antiillicit legislation required retailers to ensure all their T&T codes are registered with current operator Dentsu Tracking.

An economic operator identifier code (EOID) identifies the retailer, while separate facility identifier codes (FID) are required for each store that sells tobacco. Failure to have these valid IDs means a retailer will be unable to buy tobacco.

Set up in 2019, Dentsu took over from De La Rue as T&T’s operator last year. One wholesaler told betterRetailing the 1 March cut-off date was to allow for a grace period for the sell-through of stock previously registered with De La Rue.