Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to reduce the use of skin lightening products.

As product safety regulator, OPSS is responsible for ensuring that consumer products are safe. The UK Cosmetic Regulation requires that a safety assessment be completed by a qualified assessor to demonstrate the safety of a cosmetic product before it can be sold on our market.

OPSS also provides funding to the Chartered Trading Standards Institute to highlight the dangers to consumers of using illegal cosmetics, including skin lighteners, through its “Cost Of Beauty” Campaign. The campaign includes social media, outreach with targeted groups and working with traditional media, with the aim of raising attention to the risks of these products.