Indoor Tanning: ’08 State Of The Industry Report

The ITA also provided its members with a CD of all campaign ads—both print and video—so salon owners and members of the industry have the ability to show them in their local markets. This CD includes a public-relations guide, vitamin D poster artwork and a collection of newspaper clips that members can print out and provide to their customers as handouts.

While the ITA pushes this national debate, it also encourages salons to do their part by educating their customers and communities about the benefits of UV light and vitamin D. Research shows that many clients—those same people who love the services provided in tanning salons—still believe the negative press about tanning. The industry needs to re-educate them about the facts and continue to give them “permission to tan.” The customers that don’t feel comfortable telling their friends and family that they tan today are a lot less likely to be our customers tomorrow. The good news continues to be the flood of new research that confirms what we all know—sunlight is good for us. Click here to read what your peers are saying about the Berman effect.

On The Regulatory Front

Salon owners and operators must pay attention to proposed regulation changes at all levels—not only to make sure that compliance is met, but also to ensure a voice in the process. The addition or revision of tanning rules at the state and local levels has become an all-too-common trend across the country.

What does this mean for the indoor tanning industry? Quite simply, we must join together as proponents of the industry and become more active in anticipating, monitoring and fighting these tanning restrictions. Salons reported that anti-tanning campaigns affected their season by about 15 percent—down from 25 percent in 2007. Be sure to read up on all the regulatory issues by clicking here.

The Indoor Tanning Association (ITA) spent much of its time fighting anti-tanning legislation at the state level; however, many local municipalities also introduced anti-tanning referendums. This is extremely troublesome since what was once a state issue also has become a local and county issue.

Although each state has the authority to draft and execute rules as its sees fit, most local authorities have stayed fairly consistent over the years in regard to mandated salon operations. In addition to licensing and registration requirements, operational areas typically covered by state and local regulations pertain to warning signs, protective eyewear, recordkeeping, age limits and training requirements.

Monitoring indoor tanning rules and regulations that begin at the local level is an enormous undertaking—which is the primary reason why the industry must band together to do so.

New laws are not always initiated through a traditional state agency, which adds to the challenges of tracking proposed rules. A range of departments including offices of cosmetology, radiation safety, health and consumer affairs oversee today’s active tanning rules.