New system in South Africa for people to check whether a product is legal using their smartphone

• The new system in South Africa will allow consumers and regulators to verify whether products are genuine by scanning them with a smartphone.
• The system is part of a broader partnership between the South African Revenue Service (SARS) and the National Consumer Commission (NCC) to combat the trade in illicit goods, with a focus on products such as tobacco, alcohol, medicines, food, and consumer appliances.
• Businesses in these sectors are advised to strengthen their internal compliance systems, review agreements with suppliers and distributors, and improve due diligence when onboarding suppliers to prepare for the system's introduction in 2028.