What Tanning Shop does

The Tanning Shop, trading name of The Feel Good Group Ltd, is a UK-based private limited company founded in 1990 that operates 100+ tanning and wellness salon locations across the United Kingdom. It is self-described as the UK's largest and leading UV tanning, spray tanning, and wellness chain, with headquarters in Darlington and a workforce of 501–1,000 employees. The group is the operating parent of related entities Sunshine Supermarket and Blue Tanning And Beauty.

The company's core offering spans four service categories delivered through company-owned and franchise retail salons: UV tanning (using a multi-vendor fleet of lay-down and stand-up sunbeds from K11 Megasun, Ergoline, Luxura, iBed, Matrix, and Alisun), automated spray tanning (Mystic HD, VersaSpa Pro), red light therapy (Optimal and Lumired Regen LED beds with 633–950nm wavelengths), and Zerobody dry-float cryotherapy. Supporting the core services is the WellFit Hydrate & Lift spray-on skincare sub-brand and a curated range of retail tanning lotions, notably the Australian Gold line. Equipment is updated regularly — most recently with the K11 Select platform integrating red light therapy and a Vitamin D production setting — and the company enforces strict Sunbed Act 2010 compliance with Challenge 21 age verification, certified in-store consultants, and biometric customer registration.

The business model is a hybrid of usage-based and subscription revenue. Consumers pay per minute for UV tanning (from £0.96/min), per session for spray tanning, cryotherapy, and red light therapy, or purchase bundled minute packages and multi-session packs. Monthly unlimited memberships (£118–£140.50 for UV, £235 for RLT) drive recurring revenue. Distribution is via 100+ high-street retail salons, an online booking portal, a mobile app, in-store gift cards, and a corporate discount programme (up to 20% for partner employers). Customer acquisition is supported by influencer marketing, paid digital, email/SMS, refer-a-friend credits, and discount programmes targeting students, NHS/Blue Light, pensioners, and military cohorts.

Name

Tanning Shop

Legal name

The Feel Good Group Ltd

Website

https://thetanningshop.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

The Tanning Shop is a UK private retailer operating 100+ salon locations offering UV tanning, spray tanning, red light therapy, and cryotherapy services, with memberships and per-minute pricing, serving individual consumers and corporate discount partners across England, Scotland, and Wales.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Indoor Tanning and Wellness Services

NAICS

Hair, Nail, and Skin Care Services (81211)

akta.pro primary industry

UV Tanning (Tanning Beds/Booths) (HSALAJAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Spray Tanning (Airbrush/Booth) (HSALAJAB), Sunless Tanning Product Retail (Self-Tanners/Branded Products) (HSALAJAH), Professional Tanning (Spray Tan & Salon Systems) (CRABALAI)

Keywords

• Indoor tanning services
• UV sunbed salons
• Spray tanning booths
• Red light therapy
• Cryotherapy wellness

Headquarters

HQ city

Darlington

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices14 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. UV Tanning — Pay-As-You-Go (Per-Minute): Customers pay per minute for UV tanning sessions. Pricing varies by equipment type, location, and session length, starting from £0.96 per minute. This is a consumption-based, one-time revenue stream per visit.
2. UV Tanning — Minute Packages: Customers purchase bundled minutes (e.g., 60, 75, 100, or 120 minutes) at a discounted per-minute rate versus pay-as-you-go. Packages are valid for 12 months from purchase and can be used across most company-owned locations on equipment of equal or lower value.
3. Monthly Unlimited Membership: Recurring monthly subscription (31-day validity) allowing unlimited UV tanning sessions on selected equipment. Memberships are purchased in-store and are excluded from discounts. Can be paused twice under exceptional circumstances. This is a subscription_recurring revenue stream.
4. Spray Tanning Sessions: Customers pay per session for automated spray tanning (e.g., £27.50 per session at Victoria Belgravia; varies by location). Session-based, one-time revenue.
5. Red Light Therapy Sessions and Packages: Red light therapy sold as single sessions, multi-session packages (5 or 10 sessions), or unlimited monthly membership. Starting from £19 per session (10-session package) at Paddington. Subscription_recurring for unlimited memberships (£235/month at Paddington).
6. Cryotherapy Sessions: Cryotherapy sessions sold individually or as part of membership packages. Prices start from £11.00 per session at Oxford Circus.
7. Tanning Lotions and Skincare Products: Sale of premium tanning lotions (e.g., Australian Gold range) and skincare products in-store. One-time product sales. Lotions can be stored at the salon for up to 12 months.
8. Corporate and Group Discounts: Corporate discount program offering up to 20% off packages for employees of national and local businesses. Businesses join via email inquiry. Generates incremental B2B revenue.
9. Gift Cards: Monetary value gift cards sold in-store, valid for 12 months. One-time revenue at purchase; redeemed against future services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

The Tanning Shop is the UK's largest indoor tanning and wellness chain, operating 100+ salon locations across the UK since 1990. It sells professional UV tanning sessions on premium sunbeds (Megasun, Luxura, Ergoline, iBed), automated spray tanning (Mystic HD, VersaSpa Pro), full-body red light therapy, dry-float cryotherapy (Zerobody), and WellFit skincare treatments, alongside a curated range of tanning lotions and gift cards.

Product overview

The Tanning Shop is the UK's leading UV tanning, spray tanning, and wellness provider offering a multi-service portfolio. The core offering includes UV Tanning (premium sunbeds including Megasun, Luxura, Ergoline, iBed, Matrix, and stand-up beds), Spray Tanning (Mystic Tan, Mystic HD, VersaSpa Pro automated booths), Red Light Therapy (Optimal and Lumired Regen beds with 633-950nm wavelengths), and Cryotherapy (Zerobody dry float system). Supporting offerings include WellFit Hydrate & Lift skincare treatments and a curated range of tanning lotions (Australian Gold, accelerators, bronzers). The company operates 100+ locations across the UK, providing professional indoor tanning and wellness services since 1990.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• UV Tanning Professional indoor UV tanning sessions using premium lay-down and stand-up sunbeds including Megasun K11, Luxura V8, Ergoline, iBed, and Matrix L28. Includes skin type assessment, personalised consultation, and responsible tanning guidance. Sold per minute (from £0.96/min), in minute packages, or via monthly unlimited memberships. Available to adults aged 18+.
• Spray Tanning Fully automated private spray tanning booths (Mystic Tan, Mystic HD, VersaSpa Pro) delivering customisable, even, streak-free, natural-looking tan in minutes with four shade options. Sold per session (from £27.50) or in multi-session packages. Available to ages 14+ (under 16 must be accompanied by a parent/guardian).
• Red Light Therapy Full-body red light therapy delivered via premium LED beds (Optimal and Lumired Regen) with approximately 42,000 LEDs across five wavelengths (633nm, 660nm, 810nm, 850nm, 940nm). Supports collagen production, muscle recovery, pain relief, sleep improvement, and skin rejuvenation. Sold per session (from £19/session on 10-pack), in 5- or 10-session packages, or as a monthly unlimited membership (£235/month). Available to ages 16+ (K11 Select RLT 18+).
• Cryotherapy Dry-floatation cryotherapy using the Zerobody system with a patented dry-float membrane that cools the body evenly at 4–6°C without ice or immersion. Provides non-invasive cold exposure for muscle recovery, tension reduction, and revitalisation. Sold per session (from £11), in 5- or 10-session packages, or via monthly unlimited membership (£170/month).
• WellFit Skincare WellFit Hydrate and WellFit Lift are spray-on skincare treatments that blend active ingredients to instantly hydrate, firm, and nourish the skin. Sold as standalone skincare sessions within Tanning Shop salons.
• Tanning Lotions and Skincare Products In-store retail range of premium tanning lotions and skincare products including the Australian Gold collection of accelerators, bronzers, and cooling gels formulated with bronzing agents and Australian botanicals. Sold as one-time retail purchases; lotions can be stored at the salon for up to 12 months.
• Gift Cards Monetary-value gift cards sold exclusively in-store, valid for 12 months from purchase, redeemable against future tanning and wellness services. Packages and promotions cannot be added to gift cards.
• Corporate Discount Programme

Quantifiable outcome

• Hydrated skin absorbs UV 50% better, maximising tanning efficiency.
• +2 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Sunkissed: Sunkissed is a UK spray tan and beauty specialist chain with a multi-location retail footprint, competing head-to-head with The Tanning Shop in the high-street indoor tanning and sunless tanning segment with overlapping services (UV tanning, spray tanning, beauty treatments) and a similar B2C target customer.
• The Sun Centre: The Sun Centre is a UK-based tanning salon chain offering UV tanning, spray tanning, and beauty services across multiple high-street locations, directly comparable to TTS on core product mix, customer profile, and UK retail format.

Emerging players

• Fake Bake: Fake Bake is a UK-headquartered sunless tanning product brand selling self-tan liquids, mousses, and professional spray tan solutions through salons and DTC; it competes with TTS's in-store spray tan service and product retail offering in the same niche.
• Vita Liberata: Vita Liberata is a Northern Ireland-based organic self-tanning and skincare brand selling through salons, spas, and DTC channels; it overlaps with TTS on spray tan technology (organic, non-toxic formulations) and is sold within competing tanning and beauty salons.
• James Read: James Read is a UK tanning and skincare brand offering professional spray tan products, retail self-tanners, and signature in-salon tanning treatments; it competes with TTS at the premium end of the spray tan and tan-care category.
• KSL Clinic: KSL Clinic is a UK aesthetics and wellness clinic chain offering skin, body, and non-invasive wellness treatments including light-based therapies; it competes with TTS's RLT and cryotherapy services for wellness-oriented UK consumers willing to pay premium prices.
• The Light Salon: The Light Salon is a UK red light therapy specialist with multiple high-street clinics offering LED and infrared light therapy treatments; it directly competes with TTS's expanding red light therapy service line for the same wellness-conscious UK consumer.

Broad incumbents

• Bondi Sands: Bondi Sands is one of the largest global self-tan and sunless tanning product brands with a strong UK retail and DTC presence; it competes with TTS in the sunless tanning category and is also stocked by retailers such as Boots and Superdrug that sit adjacent to TTS's customer base.
• St. Tropez: St. Tropez is a premium self-tanning brand owned by PZ Cussons, sold through major UK beauty retailers and salons; it competes with TTS both as a brand customers can buy instead of a spray tan session and as a product stocked within salon spray tan services.

Others

• Ergoline (JK-International): Ergoline, part of JK-International GmbH, is a leading manufacturer of professional UV tanning beds (including the Sun Angel and Lightvision models that TTS deploys); it is a key equipment supplier and ecosystem participant that defines the technology envelope in which TTS operates its chain.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/tanningshop
• Facebookfacebook.com/thetanningshopuk
• Instagraminstagram.com/thetanningshop

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Tanning Shop