Illegal Skin Lightening Products Found in UK Butchers and Food Shops
Illegal skin lightening products are being sold not only online but also in butchers and specialist food shops across the UK, according to a recent warning from a regulatory watchdog.
The Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) highlighted that these dangerous and illicit products are increasingly available in a wider variety of locations than before.
The public has been urged to avoid using these creams and to report any shops that continue to sell them.
"As a black woman and a long-standing advocate for equality, diversity and inclusion, I want to be absolutely clear: the sale of illegal skin lightening products is not only dangerous, it is unlawful," said Tendy Lindsay, a CTSI member and former chair.
The CTSI explained that many of these products have been banned due to containing harmful ingredients such as hydroquinone, mercury, and potent corticosteroids.
These substances are illegal because they pose significant health risks, including skin damage, infections, and complications during pregnancy.
The standards body also noted that the use of skin lightening products is often influenced by "complex social and personal factors," including colourism, a form of discrimination that favors lighter skin tones.
Health Risks and Social Factors Behind Skin Lightening
The BBC recently reported on the dangers associated with illegal skin lightening products and their widespread use.
In an interview on Morning Live, Daniel Murrell-Williamson from Essex shared his experience. At 17, he spent two months using a cream he was unaware contained toxic and illegal ingredients.
Daniel used the product to cover dark patches caused by acne. The unmarked cream was given to him by a friend.
"I definitely saw a difference in my skin complexion and felt like I needed to keep up with it, because if I stopped, I would revert back to my original skin complexion," Daniel said.
He added that eventually, he applied the bleaching product daily over his entire body.
The product he used was illegal because it contained hydroquinone, which can weaken the skin and increase the risk of cancer, as well as cause liver and kidney damage.
Arlene Dihoulou recounted that she was initially unaware of the dangers posed by skin lightening creams but became informed after experiencing colourism and racism related to her skin tone during childhood.
Legal Actions and Consumer Advice
In November, a cosmetics retailer in Peckham, London, was fined £30,000 after being caught selling illegal skin lightening products for a second time. Since 2002, 62 companies or individuals in the Southwark borough alone have been prosecuted for selling such products.
As part of its warning, the CTSI advised consumers to avoid these creams and report any sellers offering them.
"I am deeply concerned about the social factors fuelling demand for skin lightening products," Lindsay said, "colourism and harmful beauty standards can create vulnerability."
She also cautioned those supplying these products, some of whom may be unaware of their illegality, that "a lack of awareness is not a defence."
