SINGAPORE: The Hair and Cosmetology Association of Singapore (HACOS) has called for stronger regulation of the hair industry after hair salons entered the Consumers Association of Singapore’s (CASE) top-10 list of most complained-about sectors for the first half of this year, with 167 complaints.
HACOS, which represents more than 300 members across the beauty, hair, makeup, and nails industries, said increased oversight and minimum competency standards are necessary to raise professionalism and protect consumers.
According to CASE figures released on 5 August, complaints against hair salons rose to the ninth-highest among all industries between January and June, surpassing airlines, which placed tenth.
CASE president Melvin Yong noted that the number of complaints in the first half of 2025 was slightly lower than the 170 recorded in the same period last year.
Losses from prepayments were also significantly reduced, totalling S$5,619 (US$4,386) compared with S$21,810 in 2024.
Yong said complaints largely concerned high-pressure sales tactics, misleading or false claims, hidden charges for add-ons, and poor service.
Complaints Against Salons
Allegations of aggressive upselling and excessive charges have long plagued the hair industry, with some customers billed for services they had not agreed to.
In June, the HairFun chain of salons admitted to unfair trade practices targeting elderly clients.
The salons had offered free or low-cost haircuts but misled seniors into purchasing expensive services and packages.
In one case, an elderly man who went in for an S$8 haircut was charged nearly S$1,000 for a treatment package he had not consented to.
HairFun has since pledged to end such practices, cooperate with CASE to resolve complaints, and provide a five-day cooling-off period for refunds on prepaid packages.
Many consumers have expressed their dissatisfaction with hair salons on social media.
On Facebook, a man recounted in February that a stylist gave him an uneven haircut despite instructions to only trim and tidy his hair.
Another user shared in March that a salon owner messed up the user’s hair because she was cutting it while chatting with other people. The owner then refused to apologise and even instructed staff not to serve the user in the future.
Another customer, Yeo Z G, 41, said a hair salon gave his 70-year-old mother an uneven haircut and treated her coldly after she declined to sign up for a membership or purchase extra services.
Reddit user also reported aggressive upselling, including being pressured to pay more for haircuts despite discounted membership prices until the card expired, after refusing to renew the membership.
Calls for Mandatory Standards
HACOS founder Simon Lee, a trained hairdresser, said complaints often stemmed from hard-sold packages, poor results, inconsistent service, and unclear pricing.
He noted that Singapore has no mandatory licensing requirements for hairdressers, in contrast to regulated hair industries in countries such as Australia, the UK, the US, Korea, and Japan.
“As a result, there is no standardised skills framework to ensure that all hairdressers meet minimum levels of entry with proper hair education, training or competency,” said Lee.
The regulatory gap contributes significantly to consumer fears and complaints, particularly concerning service quality, safety, and accountability, he said.
Lee suggested that the industry’s return this year to CASE’s top-10 annual ranking may be linked to a rise in budget salons using cheap or free haircuts as a hook.
He called for phased regulation to ensure practitioners are qualified and to reduce unsafe practices.
“Regulation of the hair industry is not only possible but increasingly desirable for the long-term health of both the industry and the nation, as well as for the protection of consumers,” he added.
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