Sunbed advertisers across the UK have been told to stop presenting tanning as safe or as a treatment for medical conditions, in a crackdown by the advertising watchdog. The Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP) has issued an enforcement notice warning the industry that it must not downplay the risks of sunbed use or present it as a route to better health.

What the new rules say

The notice applies across all media, including salon websites, social media, magazines, newspapers and direct mail. Adverts must not claim that sunbeds treat medical conditions, boost vitamin D or provide health benefits, and must not imply that tanning with ultraviolet (UV) light is safe or risk-free. Businesses have been told to review their advertising now and bring it into line by 7 December, with the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) set to begin active monitoring from 14 December.

Why the watchdog acted

James Burnett, senior compliance executive at CAP, said: “Sunbeds carry serious health risks, including an increased risk of skin cancer.” The ASA has already banned adverts from five tanning companies this year after they claimed sunbeds were “safe” or “healthy”, could boost vitamin D, or could help conditions such as psoriasis and seasonal affective disorder. The NHS and Cancer Research UK both warn that there is no safe way to tan using UV radiation and that sunbeds increase the risk of skin cancer.

What it does not change

The notice is an advertising enforcement measure. It does not ban sunbeds or change the rules for people who use tanning salons. The ASA says it is acting on the wording and health claims used to promote the services, and it will take swift action against advertisers that break the rules. Read the ASA’s guidance on sunbed advertising.