A self-tan brand that became a global success story after investment from Dragons’ Den has been labelled misleading by the Advertising Standard Authority (ASA).
Skinny Tan has broken UK laws by claiming to ‘tone’ and visibly reduce the appearance of cellulite. ASA has said the claims could not be proven and the brand must consequently adapt their branding to reflect this.
PZ Cussons, a rival beauty firm, has succeeded in a court battle dispelling multiple Skinny Tan product claims.
ASA ruled that Skinny Tan broke the UK code four times relating to rules regarding misleading advertising.
No 1 in the UK
This claim is only based on sales data sourced from Superdrug outlets and not all retailers. ASA rules that this claim could not be made again.
Cellulite reduction
“It can hide cellulite … and make [it] look visibly smoother and less obvious,” the company claimed.
Skinny Tan defended its cellulite-reduction claims, saying it was “commonly believed that tanning could make you look thinner”.
The company added that its claims were only in regard to the “cosmetic effect of the tan” and not any real physiological effects of the product.
Natural claims
Claims that the product was 100 per cent natural were also found to be misleading.
On its Facebook page, the company said it is “world’s first tanning range to combine a natural tanning agent with natural skin smoothing and cellulite firming in one”.
Skinny Tan also failed to provide “sufficient information” about the way the product was manufactured to substantiate claims of “100 per cent certified natural tanning”.
“We also did not receive evidence that the product as a whole, rather than just ingredients that made up the product, had been independently certified as ‘natural’,” said an ASA spokesperson.
Image credit: @skinnytanoz