Advertising regulator rules tanning chain’s claims that sunbeds reduce cancer deaths 'irresponsible'

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has ruled that a Scottish-based tanning salon chain’s online advert claiming sunbed use reduced deaths from cancer and heart disease was "misleading and unsubstantiated" and described the claims as "irresponsible." Indigo Sun said it disagreed with parts of the ruling but would withdraw the advert.

The ASA investigated after an NHS doctor complained about a video posted on Indigo Sun’s website on April 4 titled "The Health Benefits of Tanning," in which a voiceover said "New research proves that moderate, responsible use of sunbeds brings major health benefits." The advert cited a University of Edinburgh study and stated the research found "higher UV exposure whether from sunlight or tanning beds is linked to reduced deaths from cancer and heart disease" and that "sunbed use was not associated with melanoma mortality."

The ASA said the University of Edinburgh study, which used UK Biobank data, examined the link between overall UV exposure — including sunlight — and deaths among older adults, and did not support the advert’s narrower claim that sunbed use alone produced health benefits. The regulator added that the age range of participants in the study was not representative of the wider U.K. population, and that omission of information on official public health advice about the risks of sunbeds created an overall impression that benefits outweighed harms.

"For those reasons, we concluded that the ad made misleading and unsubstantiated claims about the health benefits of sunbed use," the ASA said, adding that the advert was irresponsible for omitting public health warnings. The watchdog ordered Indigo Sun to withdraw the video.

Indigo Sun, which operates more than 100 salons across the United Kingdom, said in a statement that it would comply with the ASA’s request to remove the advert but continued to dispute some aspects of the ruling. Chief executive Frank Taylor said the company remained "disappointed that a peer-reviewed study conducted by the University of Edinburgh, one of the UK's most respected academic institutions, and based on UK Biobank data from over 360,000 participants, was not considered sufficient evidence to support the claims made." Taylor said the company’s "intention was always to share the science, not to make exaggerated or irresponsible assertions," and that the findings warranted inclusion in discussions about UV exposure, vitamin D and public health.

The ASA’s action follows growing scrutiny of commercial messaging around UV exposure. The regulator emphasised that adverts must not give a misleading impression about health benefits and must not omit official advice provided by public health bodies. Under current U.K. regulations, people under 18 are banned from using sunbeds.

The University of Edinburgh study itself has been described in the advert as linking higher UV exposure with reduced deaths from cancer and heart disease in its analysed cohort. The ASA’s assessment focused on the advert’s representation of those findings and how they were applied to claims about sunbed use.

The decision highlights the responsibilities of commercial operators when citing scientific research in marketing materials and underscores regulatory expectations that adverts addressing health must present balanced information and acknowledge established public health guidance. Indigo Sun has removed the video while continuing to press for broader debate on the interpretation of the research cited.