A new industry group for the hair and beauty industry is establishing a national register of practitioners who conform to professional standards. The Hair and Beauty Industry Confederation (Habic), launched on Tuesday, claims the sector is “completely unregulated and unsupported”, with a large, cash-based black market that undermines established businesses.

A practitioner seeking to register with Habic will need to have a qualification of at least one year from a listed recognised certification body, with the register to be publicly available. The body will also encourage beauty salons to adhere to EU standards for beauty services, which set out how salons should manage risk, hygiene and client consultation.

Habic chairwoman Linda Ennis said the industry, which employs almost 30,000, is marked by a lack of regulation, with rapid changes posing unique challenges. She said the new group should enable businesses to work together towards a common aim.