The Public Health Association released information on the sale of sunbeds and sunlamps on Trade Me which raised questions about buyers needing to be fully informed of the risks of using such devices.

We note that Parliament thoroughly considered the use of sunbeds in 2015 and decided to continue to allow the sale and use of sunbeds.

While the second-hand sale of these products is not restricted by the law, we encourage members to be aware of the risks of purchasing and using sunbeds.

To support this, sunbeds and sunlamps were added to our banned and restricted items list from October 2017.

If you are selling sunbeds or sunlamps on Trade Me, you’ll be required to make a few statements about the potential risks of the product within your listings.

These are:

Anyone under 18 should not use the sunbed or lamp
A warning that fair-skinned people may be at greater risk of skin damage;
Recommend the use of safety goggles;
Add a text based link to Sunsmart's advisory on sunbeds.
Not make any claims about the potential health benefits of sunbeds or sunlamps.

As with all listings on Trade Me, we expect all sellers to accurately describe their product’s condition in line with our listing policies i.e. if all safety timers work, or if the unit needs repairing.

For more information on these products, check out the Sunsmart guide or Consumer NZ's investigation.

Image credit Claudia Otte as per Creative Commons on Flickr

How to list sunbeds and lamps