Elijah Ntongai, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, has more than three years of financial, business, and technology research and reporting expertise, providing insights into Kenyan and global trends.
The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) launched the Soma Label mobile application to help customers identify counterfeit products in the market.
This is a user-friendly tool designed to verify the authenticity of excise stamps found on products in supermarkets and shops.
As a consumer, it’s essential to ensure that the products you purchase are genuine, especially those that are excisable, such as alcoholic beverages and cosmetics.
Manufacturers get KRA tax stamps, which carry multiple security features. After paying the necessary taxes, they are assigned unique encrypted data codes.
These codes are part of a track and trace system that maintains specific details for each product.
The system monitors the entire journey of a product, from raw materials to production and distribution to consumers.
It also allows for reverse tracing from the consumer back to the factory.
When you scan a barcode on a product, an authentic product will display a 'successful' screen and other information about the manufacturer. If the product is counterfeit, the screen shows 'verification failed.'
Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to use the Soma Label app to check whether the products you buy are authentic or fake.
The Soma Label app is available for both Android and iOS users.
Once installed on your smartphone, the app icon will appear on your home screen; when you launch the app, you will be greeted by the KRA logo.
Before proceeding, you’ll need to accept the Terms & conditions, after which the app will walk you through six onboarding screens that explain the authentication process.
The verification process starts by scanning the product’s barcode.
Align the barcode within the frame on the app’s screen, and once successfully scanned, a message confirming the scan will appear.
If the scan is unsuccessful, you can manually input the barcode.
Once the barcode is scanned, the app will guide you to the stamp-scanning page.
This is where you verify the excise stamp, an essential marker of product authenticity.
To scan, align the stamp within the frame on your screen. If lighting is an issue, a flash button at the top right corner will help illuminate the stamp for better clarity.
The app supports two types of codes: DMX and QR codes. You can switch between them based on the code type on the excise stamp.
After scanning, the app will prompt you to confirm if the excise stamp's color shifts when viewed from different angles, an extra layer of security embedded in the stamps.
Once the scan is completed, the app will display the results. A green gauge indicates a successful verification, meaning the product is authentic.
A red gauge suggests that the verification has failed, signalling the possibility of a counterfeit product.
If the verification fails, the app provides an option to report the issue.
This opens the "Report a Problem" page, where you can fill out details about the product and the problem encountered. Once completed, submit the report to KRA.
The Soma Label app also includes:
This app not only benefits consumers but also supports KRA’s efforts to maintain tax compliance and reduce instances of tax evasion and the circulation of counterfeit products in the market.
Proofreading by Mercy Nyambura Guthua, journalist and copy editor at TUKO.co.ke
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Soma Label KRA app.
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