MEDIA INFORMATION

25 April 2013

WEST YORKSHIRE TRADING STANDARDS 0.3 TESTING COMMENT FROM THE SUNBED ASSOCIATION
Gary Lipman, Chairman of The Sunbed Association, said:

"We are delighted that Trading Standards are now following our advice and testing for 0.3 compliance. The Sunbed Association (TSA) has been at the forefront on lobbying for this regulation to be delivered nationwide for many years. The Government signed up to deliver this EU regulation back in January 2007 but only now are we seeing action at a local level. We pushed for its inclusion in The Sunbed (Regulations) Act over three years ago but government departments played ping pong deciding whose responsibility it would be and to the detriment of consumer safety, it was left out. None of the government departments or agencies with

responsibility for enforcing compliance would support our call to have 0.3 compliance included in the Bill. It was also frustrating that organisations including Cancer Research UK did not support our call even though the Governments own COMARE* report called for full implementation. Therefore, it is unreasonable, indeed entirely disingenuous, that tanning salons should now be the focus of attack because of a lack of direction and commitment from Government and its regulatory authorities. Imagine car sales people telling drivers that the speed limit on motorways was 70mph and then the police didnt enforce it. How many drivers would comply? The Sunbed Association has provided training courses for Trading Standards Officers, held industry meetings, lobbied and met with organisations and agencies, including the HSE, all of whom could have influenced compliance years ago, yet with a lack of national guidance on this issue, very little progress has been made. Our continued concern is that not all local authorities have yet made compliance testing a priority and in many areas where salons are being inspected and are not found to be compliant, it is our opinion that enforcement action is often taking too long to implement. As such, we would always urge sunbed users to seek out a tanning salon in membership of The Sunbed Association, where they can be assured of excellent customer care and advice from properly trained staff."
*COMARE - Committee on Medical Aspects of Radiation in the Environment

MEDIA CONTACT: Gill Perkins on 07850 319359 or 0844 251 2559 Option 1; e: gillperkins@sunbedassociation.org.uk