Shoreham nail firm ordered to pay back more than £300,000 to customers

A Shoreham company which short-changed its customers by selling nail gels containing less product than labelled has been ordered to pay more than £380,000 following an investigation by West Sussex Trading Standards.
Daisys Nails, based in Dolphin Road, Shoreham, was found to have short-changed its customers after an investigation by West Sussex Trading StandardsDaisys Nails, based in Dolphin Road, Shoreham, was found to have short-changed its customers after an investigation by West Sussex Trading Standards
Daisys Nails, based in Dolphin Road, Shoreham, was found to have short-changed its customers after an investigation by West Sussex Trading Standards

Daisy’s Nails, based in Dolphin Road, was fined £60,000 and ordered to pay back £300,000 as well as costs of £27,244.77 and a victim surcharge of £100 at Lewes Crown Court on Friday.

The company was charged with three offences involving the sale of incorrectly labelled cosmetics including nail gels with false measures on the packaging.

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Trading Standards were first alerted to the company when they received a complaint in May, 2018.

Daisys Nails, based in Dolphin Road, Shoreham, was found to have short-changed its customers after an investigation by West Sussex Trading StandardsDaisys Nails, based in Dolphin Road, Shoreham, was found to have short-changed its customers after an investigation by West Sussex Trading Standards
Daisys Nails, based in Dolphin Road, Shoreham, was found to have short-changed its customers after an investigation by West Sussex Trading Standards

Samples of the products were sent for testing and failed cosmetic legislation for labelling.

The nail gels were labelled as 20ml, but in fact some styles had an average volume of just 14.85ml when checked by officers.

Richard Sargeant, Trading Standards Team Manager, said: “This company engaged in advertising of its products which was misleading and deceived other businesses because the volume of nail polish stated on the bottles was not as much as the amount claimed.

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“They profited by £300,000 from this activity and have been ordered to pay back the sum under the Proceeds of Crime Act.”

Deborah Urquhart, West Sussex County Council Cabinet Member for Environment, said: “Deceiving customers by labelling products incorrectly is a crime and I hope the outcome of this case will deter other companies from doing the same.”

Anyone who thinks they have been a victim of an unfair trading practice, should contact Trading Standards at www.westsussex.gov.uk/tsreport or via Citizens Advice on 03454 04 05 06.