HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has been carrying out raids on shops in a bid to stamp out illegal alcohol in the UK.

Raids have been done on stores in Lincolnshire, Newcastle, Hertfordshire and other areas after it was found that some retailers had been buying in counterfeit liquor, even though it may contain chemicals including industrial cleaning agents.

Prosecutions have been brought about as a result of the project and HMRC may now implement a UK-wide crackdown.

James Bielby from the Federation of Wholesale Distributors told the Grocer that retailers should only ever buy from their legitimate supply chain.

This news may encourage companies to use special printed labels on their products to prevent counterfeiting and showcase authenticity to customers in a clear way.

A range of optional extras can be added to fix-a-form labels, including hot foil blocking, randomised numbers and heat 'n' reveal panels, to assist with this process.