Consumer NZ calls for ban on commercial tanning salons

With tanning salons putting New Zealanders at risk of lasting health damage, Consumer NZ is calling for a nationwide ban on commercial tanning operations.

With all Australian states banning commercial solariums (the Northern Territory still allows them to operate), New Zealand’s only restriction is to ban the use of commercial sunbeds by under 18s.

In addition, there is a voluntary industry standard recommended people with Type 1 skin - fair skin which burned easily or never tanned - should not use a sunbed.

However, consumer and health groups are calling for a complete ban on solariums.

In recent advice, Consumer NZ revealed that operator were allowing young people and people with fair skin - which burns easily - to book sessions on the devices.

Advising that the more people use sunbeds, and the younger they start, the greater their risk is of developing skin cancer, Consumer NZ investigative writer Belinda Castles recently commented “using a sunbed is risky for anyone, but for people with fair skin and for those under 18, the potential for lasting and serious damage can increase. We were concerned to find that even when operators do take precautions (like completing skin assessments), fair-skinned New Zealanders continue to be put at risk.”

Castles said sending mystery shoppers into 17 salons across the country revealed a "disturbing lack of compliance" with the industry's voluntary regulations.

With the standard recommending operators should use a questionnaire to determine a person's skin type, Consumer NZ found that more than a third of shoppers - each with Type 1 skin - were still allowed to used the devices.

Castles stated “one shopper was classified as Type 1 by a sunbed operator, yet she was still allowed five minutes on the sunbed and told she could build up to 13 minutes with subsequent visits.”

Castles noted that operators were failing to verify the age of the customer and - in two instances - a 14-year-old was allowed to have a sunbed session.

She highlighted that consent forms - which required customers to declare they were of legal age - did not ask for a date of birth or identification.

She went on say “research shows that people who use a sunbed before the age of 30 have a 75% greater risk of developing melanoma.”

Consumer NZ said the mystery shoppers who booked sunbed sessions did not use the devices, but used the time in the sunbed cubicle to complete a survey form.

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