The true cost of your manicure: How high street nail bars can be used as a ... trends now

Human trafficking is still rife at nail bars across the UK, police and charities warned today - as legitimate business owners said they were struggling to compete with illegal rivals.

Nail salons are an increasingly common fixture on high streets as more established stores shut down, with 302 new outlets opening in Great Britain last year. This makes them the fourth fastest growing category of shop, according to the Local Data Company.

Cut-price beauty treatments make them popular with customers, but owners are coming under increased pressure due to the rising cost of utilities and products. 

More than 5,000 nail technicians came together last week to raise their prices for 'National Nail Price Increase Day' - organised by industry body Nail Tech Org after it found members made an average of just £7 an hour.

One UK police officer involved in investigating human trafficking told MailOnline that customers taking advantage of cheap nail treatments may unwittingly find themselves served by victims of exploitation. 

'We know that while many trafficking victims end up in sex work, a large number do work in nail bars – particularly women trafficked from Vietnam,' he said.

'They come over for the promise of a better life, but end up working long hours for little or no pay. They will have their passport and other documents taken away.

'Nail bars using trafficked women often have one person at the front directing customers to staff, while the staff don't make eye contact. 

'And there will often be a high turnover of staff, with someone dropping the women off and picking them up immediately afterwards.' 

A nail bail in Northwich, Cheshire was raided by police earlier this month following reports of 'possible exploitation' and three people were arrested.

The raid, which was carried out in partnership with a Home Office immigration enforcement team, led to a  30-year-old man being arrested on suspicion of immigration offences. 

In addition, a 16-year-old boy and a 31-year-old man both arrested on suspicion of assaulting an officer.

Unseen, a charity that runs the Modern Slavery Helpline, said it was told of 192 potential trafficking victims at nail bars in 2022. 

Its director, Justine Carter, told MailOnline: 'The exploitation of workers in nail bars continues to be evident across the UK. 

'Through the Modern Slavery & Exploitation Helpline, we have previously had reports of nail bars not only involved in labour and sexual exploitation but other criminal activities such as money laundering and drugs. 

'Customers who frequent these establishments may be inadvertently contributing to the problem.'

Eleonora Fais, Anti-Trafficking Monitoring Group Coordinator at Anti-Slavery International, said it was sometimes possible to identify victims by the way they were behaving.  

'People in slavery may appear withdrawn, appear to be under the control of someone else and reluctant to interact with others,' she said. 

'They may also have few personal belongings and wear the same clothes every day, have a lack of PPE, excessive working hours with no food breaks, be reluctant to talk to strangers or officials, appear frightened or withdrawn and show signs of physical or psychological abuse.'

Neil Giles, director of intelligence at STOP THE TRAFFIK, said 'debt bondage' was a common way for gangsters to control their victims. 

Nail shop owners told MailOnline how the cost of living crisis has seen their overheads sky rocket as they fight for custom from 'illegitimate' businesses charging a 'pittance'.

Owners, staff and customers have said the fight for customers and reputable shops is harder than ever because of a rise in the black market of nail shops.

All the shops mentioned in this article are legitimate. 

Kara Stevens, owner of Maintain Your Beauty in Dartford, Kent has been running her shop for one year.

She employs three part-time nail technicians and said her biggest overheads are the price increases from products and rent. 

The 40-year-old said: 'We've exceptionally busy, the cost of living crisis has not seen any less of a demand for people getting their nails done.

'But it doesn't mean we still don't have challenges - we do. Rent and products are our biggest overheads. Everything has gone up. And we have to pay for quality products because we need to keep the quality up.

'That's hundreds and hundreds a month. It's challenging. But the demand is great. I'd certainly be moaning more if the demand was not there but it is. Which is amazing.'

Ms Stevens said she carried out 'thorough checks' on staff.

'I'm very aware the industry does not

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