Overview
- The regulation, which came into force on Saturday, August 15, prevents manufacturers and importers from placing any new cosmetic products that include TPO on the market in Great Britain.
- Whitehall set a staged timetable that allows distributors to sell existing TPO stock until February 14, 2027 while salons may keep using their on‑hand supplies until they run out.
- The ban follows a reclassification under chemical-safety rules based on high-dose animal studies linking TPO to reproductive effects rather than evidence of harm at normal cosmetic use levels.
- Industry groups and salons have reassured customers that gel manicures are not outlawed, that many firms already use TPO-free formulas, and that consumer exposure in salon use is far lower than doses in the studies.
- Consumers can report suspected illegal sales to Trading Standards via the Citizens' Advice Consumer Helpline and the move brings Great Britain closer to the EU's earlier ban that began on September 1, 2025.