A recent investigation by Which? has raised concerns regarding the reliability of sun protection offered by some popular sunscreen products sold in the UK.
Spot-checks were carried out on 26 sunscreen products, assessing both SPF and UVA protection. Three lotions failed to meet the necessary standards in all tests – Calypso Sun Press & Protect Sun Lotion SPF30, Asda Protect Moisturising Sun Lotion SPF30 High and Bondi Sands SPF 50+ Face Sunscreen Lotion.
The products fell short in either SPF protection, UVA protection or both, according to the findings. According to regulatory benchmarks, a product must provide UVA protection equivalent to at least one-third of its claimed SPF.
Natalie Hitchins, head of home products and services at Which? commented, “It’s really concerning that widely available sunscreens could be putting families at risk by failing to offer the level of sun protection claimed on the packaging.”