Trading Standards Officers across London have taken part in a clampdown on unsafe skin lightening products.

More than 100 different products were purchased from shops in 15 London boroughs and tested for the presence of the prohibited substances mercury and hydroquinone. 12 were found to have significant mercury content and 20 found to contain hydroquinone. One product contained almost 1% of mercury while another contained 7.7% hydroquinone.

Trading Standards teams found illegal cosmetics on shelves, under counters and hidden in store rooms. Two Council’s alone seized more than 3,000 illicit cosmetics from four shops.

This is just one example of action taken by Trading Standards Officers across the UK. Prosecutions relating to the action by Trading Standards Officers in London are ongoing.