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A regulatory body has initiated a stringent crackdown on deceptive advertisements related to sunbeds, cautioning tanning businesses against promoting their products as safe or capable of treating medical issues. The Committee for Advertising Practice (CAP) announced the issuance of a UK-wide enforcement notice aimed at emphasizing to the tanning industry that advertising should not minimize the health risks associated with using sunbeds.
Earlier this year, a BBC investigation uncovered hundreds of social media videos that made various unfounded claims, including that sunbeds could enhance energy levels or serve as treatments for skin and mental health conditions. While the Sunbed Association, which represents approximately half of the tanning salons across the UK, expressed full support for efforts to eliminate misleading advertising, it also stressed the importance of allowing businesses to demonstrate responsible operation.
According to CAP, some of the misleading promotional claims could potentially harm consumers by discouraging them from seeking proper medical advice or treatment. James Burnett, CAP’s compliance executive, highlighted the serious health risks posed by sunbeds, stating, “Sunbeds carry serious health risks, including an increased risk of skin cancer.” He added that advertisements should not downplay these dangers or suggest that sunbed use improves health outcomes. Medical professionals and cancer charities reinforce this caution, linking sunbed use to a higher incidence of melanoma and other skin cancers, with the World Health Organization reporting that using sunbeds before age 35 raises melanoma risk by 59%.
Young people form the largest demographic utilizing sunbeds in the UK, with about one in seven individuals aged 18 to 24 having used a sunbed in the past year—twice the average across all age groups, according to a YouGov survey in 2025. Rosie Vare, health information manager at Teenage Cancer Trust, welcomed the enforcement move and emphasized the need for youth to receive accurate risk information. She recommended that young people rely on trusted and regulated sources such as the NHS or cancer charities for sunbed-related health information.
Sunbed use remains legal and subject to regulation throughout the UK, with strict controls on UV light emission and a prohibition on usage by anyone under 18. The Sunbed Association reports that its members train their staff to identify and exclude high-risk users, particularly those with very fair skin, and follow internal guidelines limiting individuals to no more than 60 sessions annually. Gary Lipman, the association’s chairman, clarified that members do not promote health claims about sunbeds and collaborate with CAP to ensure compliance with advertising standards. He remarked, “We fully support action against misleading advertising. But there is a world of difference between claiming something is risk free and explaining that a business operates responsibly.”
CAP has provided advertisers with a deadline of 7 December 2026 to align their marketing claims with regulatory requirements. An AI-powered monitoring system will be employed to detect non-compliant advertisements, and CAP has pledged to take further enforcement actions against ongoing breaches
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