The difficult part of Vaping Products Duty is not simply ordering a stamp.
It is making sure the stamp, the product and the digital record remain connected as the goods move from production to the UK market.
That is where the process becomes operational.
The stamp may travel before the product
For some overseas manufacturers, stamps may be ordered through an approved UK Representative and sent to an approved overseas manufacturing location.
The factory then needs to apply the stamps correctly before the goods are shipped.
Once digital stamps are in use, the process also includes activation and product data.
The product record needs to match the physical item being stamped. That can include information such as product name, barcode, volume, brand and other fields required by the scheme.
What aggregation means in practice
The word “aggregation” sounds technical, but the idea is simple.
If a carton contains many individually stamped products, the business can link those products to one group code. A pallet can then be linked to a higher-level code.
That means a warehouse can scan the group instead of scanning every unit every time the stock moves.
Cartor’s programme allows mixed-SKU groups and uses GS1 standards for the group codes.
The important part is keeping the grouping record accurate.
If a pallet is split, rebuilt or moved into different handling units, the digital record needs to show that change. That is what de-aggregation and re-aggregation are for.
Mixed-SKU pallets need a clear process
Mixed-SKU pallets are common in real logistics operations.
The process needs to answer:
- What products are on the pallet?
- Which stamps belong to which SKU?
- What group code represents the carton or pallet?
- What happens when part of the pallet is released?
- Who scans the change?
- How does the warehouse record match the Cartor record?
Without that control, the physical stock can move faster than the data.
Connect the factory, warehouse and customs route
The stamp journey should be designed alongside the stock journey.
For example:
order → send to factory → affix → activate → group → export → import → receive → split or rebuild → release.
The customs and duty status also has to stay clear throughout.
If goods are held under an approved duty-suspension arrangement, the release process must match the relevant approval and duty point.
Current stamp timing
Cartor, HMRC’s appointed stamp supplier, updated its programme on 5 August. It currently lists digital stamps from 1 September 2026 and 30 November 2026 as the last date to purchase transitional stamps. It also states that digital stamps must be used for affixing from 1 January 2027 and that full stamping applies from 1 April 2027.
Some earlier GOV.UK communications still show the previous transitional purchase timeline, so businesses should check the latest Cartor and GOV.UK information before placing a time-sensitive order.
The NG Terminal approach
NG Terminal’s VPD support links UK Representative arrangements, stamp ordering, factory affixing, Heathrow customs and excise storage, warehouse scans, mixed-SKU handling, Cartor system integration and final release.
The objective is simple: the physical stock and the digital record should tell the same story.
Map the stamp and stock journey before the first digital shipment moves.
