Local sunbed premises fined for offering illegal sunbed sessions to children

Three sunbed premises in Derry and Strabane have been fined for offering illegal sunbed sessions to children and young people.

Allowing the use of sunbeds by anyone under 18 years of age is prohibited under the Sunbeds Act (Northern Ireland) 2011. 

The aim of the legislation was to reduce the likelihood of the use/sale and/or hire of sunbeds being made to underage children. 

This was in response to studies which have found sun over-exposure during the teenage years significantly increases the risk of developing skin cancer later in life. In addition, the use of sunbeds was found to be associated with an increased risk of skin cancer. 

In spite of this, three sunbed premises visited by environmental health officers (EHOs) from Derry City and Strabane District Council offered sessions to children, it has emerged.

World Cancer Day: awareness of signs and symptoms essential

Council reminds people about risk of cancer associated with sunbed use

Councillors at Thursday’s Health and Community committee meeting heard that 11 sunbed premises in the Derry and Strabane area were visited by EHOs on August 7, 2024 with a child volunteer. During the exercise, three premises offered sales of sunbed sessions to the child volunteer. 

Following the under-aged sales “suitable witness statements” were compiled by the EHOs concerned  with the test purchase exercises and enforcement action was taken. 

Councillors were told the child volunteer received suitable training on the test purchase exercise, in keeping with the requirements of the Northern Ireland Sun Bed Working Group (NISWG) guidance.

In addition, all sunbed premises owners in the Derry and Strabane area were written to in advance and informed a test purchase exercise would be taking place within the next number of months. They were also made aware of their responsibilities under the provisions of the Sunbeds Act.

For the purposes of the test purchase, 11 sunbed premises were visited, three of which offered sales of sunbed sessions to the child volunteer. 

In line with the Council’s Enforcement Policy and the guidance produced by the NISWG, the Department then issued three  fixed penalty notices to the owners of the sunbed premises where the sales were made. They were required to pay a fixed penalty of £250 within 28 days. 

All three owners complied with the requirements of the fixed penalty notices and paid £250 within the required 28 days. 

A further sunbed test purchase exercise will be undertaken during the year 2025/26.