LONDON (The Thursday Times) — Britain’s advertising rule-maker has told tanning firms they must not describe sunbeds as safe or claim they can treat medical conditions, in a crackdown on what it calls misleading health claims.
The Committee of Advertising Practice issued a UK-wide enforcement notice on Thursday, warning that adverts must not “downplay the risks associated with sunbed use”. Firms have until December 7 to bring their marketing into line, after which the committee says it will act against those still breaking the rules, using an AI-based system to monitor adverts.
“Sunbeds carry serious health risks, including an increased risk of skin cancer,” said James Burnett, a compliance executive at the committee. “Ads shouldn’t downplay those risks or present sunbed use as a way to improve health.”
What the adverts claimed
The committee said it had found adverts suggesting that tanning beds could ease eczema, improve brain function, reduce inflammation, and boost circulation. Earlier this year, the Advertising Standards Authority, which enforces the code, banned five adverts claiming sunbeds could help manage conditions including psoriasis, osteoporosis, and depression.
Under the notice, businesses may not make medical claims, promote sunbeds as a source of vitamin D, or suggest that the beds are safe.
Young people most exposed
Using a sunbed before the age of 35 raises the risk of melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, by 59%, according to the World Health Organization. Young adults are the heaviest users in Britain: about one in seven people aged 18 to 24 said they had used one in the past year, according to a 2025 survey.
The Sunbed Association, which says it represents about half of the UK’s tanning salons, said it fully supported action against misleading adverts, but argued that businesses must still be allowed to show they operate responsibly. Sunbed use is legal and regulated across the UK, with limits on the strength of the UV light and a ban on under-18s.
