EXCLUSIVE: British American Tobacco blames track and trace for credit delays

BAT has blamed complications with the track and trace system for delays in accepting and crediting returned menthol stock as promised prior to lines being banned earlier this year.

In a letter sent to stores and seen by Better Retailing, the tobacco firm’s head of trade, Khurram Durrani, said: “To ensure compliance with [track and trace], we are currently unable to process the return of single-pack stock from retail outlets until new software and hardware changes have been made to our track and trace system.

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“Once this is completed, I can assure you that we will uplift all single-pack menthol tobacco product stock from BAT UK in exchange for credit.”

Although no estimated completion date was given, the firm warned stores to submit their current stock holding levels to BAT by 31 August to have their non-compliant menthol stock included.

This can be done at vapermarket.co.uk/BATreturns

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Credit will only be issued for returns valued at more than £30 and can only be spent on the vaping goods available through BAT-owned online shop Vaper Market.

The company said the coronavirus pandemic had “severely impacted our ability to explain this new process”.

Durrani added: “We regret not having been able to make contact earlier and update you in person.”