Skin Lightening

Illegal skin lightening creams found in Ealing shops

Ealing Council’s Trading Standards team has warned Asian and African women to beware when buying skin lightening creams after it seized more than 260 dangerous illegal products in shops around the borough.

Women using the creams risked nasty rashes and burns on their faces and bodies because the products contained the chemical hydroquionone, a substance now illegal in the UK because of its potential harm.

Four shops were involved in the seizure. One shopkeeper was caught selling the creams under the counter – suggesting he knew they were banned, although the others seemed unaware.

Councillor Will Brooks, Cabinet Member for Environment and Street Services, who has responsibility for Trading Standards, said: “These products are primarily used by women in our Asian and African communities who face similar peer pressures as other teenage girls in their quest to reach size zero.

“It is frightening to think of the dangers people risk in using these illegal creams and we will continue to carry out checks among businesses in Ealing to ensure only legitimate products are on sale.

“The checks carried out by the Council are to fulfil our priority of making our communities safer, in this case to ensure women can buy products which pose no danger to them. The results of this project demonstrates how important it is to find, visit and advise businesses within Ealing about the standards required.”

The seizures came through a year-long Trading Standards operation to check on businesses in Ealing who sell ethnic foods and cosmetics.

Of the 68 businesses the team visited, 31 had food or cosmetics for sale without the required consumer information including ingredients lists, batch codes and manufacturer names and addresses.

Most of these shopkeepers have worked with the team to clean up their act and now meet the required safety standards.

Ealing’s Trading Standards team have now begun a new operation, checking on the quality of foods which will be on sale for Asian festivals, including sweets like ladoos and mathais.

Ealing Council's other priorities are cleaner streets and value for money services.