The Retail Trade Association of Kenya (RETRAK) has appealed for a unified crackdown on illicit trade, asking enforcement agencies to target the supply networks behind smuggled, counterfeit and untaxed goods.

RETRAK wants the Kenya Revenue Authority, Anti‑Counterfeit Authority, Kenya Bureau of Standards and the National Police Service to devise a joint enforcement plan, designate a lead agency and set timelines for reporting progress.

Chief Executive Officer Wambui Mbarire said enforcement must go beyond seizing products at shops and focus on tracing suppliers, storage facilities, transporters and financiers behind illicit consignments.

A recent Kantar study cited by RETRAK estimated that illicit cigarettes made up 45.1% of Kenya’s cigarette market in 2025, up from 34.1% in 2021.

The same study projected excise duty and VAT losses of Sh10.2 billion in 2025 and a cumulative loss of Sh47 billion between 2021 and 2025.

RETRAK is also seeking practical tools for retailers to verify excise stamps and authentication marks, as well as clear channels for reporting suspected illicit goods.

The association argues that sustained, accountable enforcement will protect consumers, legitimate businesses, jobs and public finances while ensuring major suppliers and offenders are held to account.