Tattoo Prices Expected to Rise Following New Safety Regulations in Wales

Concerns are emerging that tattoo artists may need to raise their prices following the implementation of new regulations in Wales, making it the inaugural UK region to do so for practitioners. Under the new Welsh government regulations, practitioners will be obligated to adhere to more stringent hygiene and safety protocols to obtain a licence, which will necessitate renewal every three years. This initiative stems from worries expressed by medical professionals regarding the potential for severe infections. Kim Thomas, a tattoo artist based in Newport, stated, “I imagine the prices of tattoos are going to go up to accommodate this.” Kim, who possesses eight years of experience as a tattoo artist and operates her own establishment, Mourning Star Tattoo, noted that the industry is now “much more mainstream now” and concurred that increased safety regulation is necessary. She commented, “There are people who are tattooing illegally a lot more, because it’s a lot easier to acquire the machines, the inks, and everything else involved in the process.” She added, “I do think [the legislation] is a good thing overall, because it means that everyone has to be of the same standard in order to work in the industry.” However, the financial expenditure presents a drawback. The new regulatory framework becomes active on Friday, requiring over 4,000 individual practitioners throughout Wales to pay £203 for a licence. Additionally, more than 2,000 premises will need their own certification, priced at £385, and Kim indicated that it is unavoidable for some of these expenses to be transferred to clients. She explained, “As the owner of a tattoo studio, not only do I have to insure myself and do the extra course, but I then have to license myself and the studio.” She further stated, “Which means that when we’ve got to do this every three years, it’s going to cost quite a lot.” Tattoos are gaining popularity across the UK, with a 2022 YouGov poll revealing that one in four individuals reported having at least one. The survey, which included over 2,000 participants, also indicated that women (29%) showed a higher propensity for tattoos compared to men (22%), and more than a third of individuals aged 25-54 had received a tattoo. Alice Harding, 33, from Bridgend, who received her initial tattoo as a teenager, noted a shift in public attitudes over time. She recounted, “When I first started you didn’t find that many women with tattoos, so you’d comments off people like ‘why are you ruining your body’.” Harding added, “I was told I couldn’t have jobs because I had tattoos.“ She concluded, “It’s a lot more accepting now I’d say… especially as a woman, there are loads of women out there with tats now rocking it.” These new regulations represent the concluding stage of amendments under the Public Health (Wales) Act 2017, designed to elevate infection prevention and control standards, though their implementation was postponed due to Brexit and the Covid pandemic. While the modifications are effective immediately, the government anticipates that it will take “a number of months” for a significant portion of practitioners to achieve full registration. Keith Reid, Wales’ deputy chief medical officer, stated that the regulations, which also encompass procedures such as acupuncture, electrolysis, piercing, and semi-permanent makeup, will provide individuals with an “extra level of assurance around safety”. He remarked, “We’re concerned about skin infections, which can be a problem around tattooing.” He continued, “We’re also concerned about the risk of blood-borne infections, which can be a risk with anything that pierces the skin.” Reid explained, “So the purpose of the regime is to reduce the risk to the public, and make it safer for the public who wish to undergo these procedures.” He further mentioned that the fees had been established “at a very modest level” and that the triennial renewal constituted a “reasonable compromise”.