Nail salons across the UK are raising their prices today in a huge collaboration across the industry.
Monday has been dubbed National Nail Tech Price Increase Day by the organisers – but why are they doing it, how much are prices going up by and does it affect all salons?
Here’s what you need to know.
Why are prices going up?
It’s to get a “fair wage” for nail technicians and a move towards helping industry businesses become “sustainable”, according to organisers the Nail Tech Org (NTO).
The NTO, which describes itself as a “safe online community” for nail technicians, warned its member make on average just under £7 per hour – below the minimum living wage of £11.44.
The NTO’s founder Amy Guy said she came up with the idea for the day after conducting surveys of its members on their income and profits.
She told Sky News: “We want to create a shift so the industry becomes sustainable so we can keep working for years to come.
“The job of a nail tech isn’t easy, costs are rising all around us, the costs of products and tools are also rising along with utility, rent and those things.
“It’s so important that as business owners we’re aware of our costs. The biggest problem in the nail tech industry for a long time has been pricing, but a lot of prices aren’t realistic for business owners.
“I don’t think people would be happy getting their nails done, knowing the technician wasn’t making minimum wage.”
How much are prices increasing?
Each business taking part in the price hike is different, according to the NTO, as it depends on their individual business costs.
The NTO offered what it describes as a “free masterclass” online for nail technicians, allowing them to calculate their own business costs and ultimately create a new “pricing structure that supports us now and in the future”.
As an example, The Beauty Bar in Birmingham announced a price…
