The sun creams that don’t give protection they promise
TWO of Britain’s biggestselling sun cream brands may be putting users at risk because they are not providing the level of protection claimed, consumer and health watchdogs warn.
Laboratory tests found that products sold under the Boots Soltan and Hawaiian Tropic brands offered only two-thirds of the sun protection stated on the label.
The failure suggests users are being put at risk of sunburn and even worse at a time of mounting concern over skin cancer.
Consumer group Which? carried out the research and has now warned consumers not to buy the two products ahead of the summer holidays.
Both companies insist the prod- ucts have been proven in independent tests to offer at least the level of protection claimed and, in some cases, even more.
Which? investigated 13 creams to see if they offered the claimed sun protection factor (SPF) of 30 by blocking out potentially harmful UVB and UVA rays.
Sun exposure is linked to premature ageing of the skin, as well as skin cancer, with 100,000 new cases diagnosed each year in the UK.
SPF is a measure of protection from UVB – the rays which cause sunburn – and provides a guide to how long someone can stay in the sun without burning compared with not using any protection. So using an SPF of 30 means a person can safely stay in the sun 30 times longer than when using nothing. The Boots Soltan Protect & Moisturise Lotion SPF30 and Hawaiian Tropic Silk Hydration Lotion SPF30 were both found to offer only twothirds of the protection claimed.
It means users might stay out in the sun for longer than is safe. Which? said: ‘Any sunscreen that doesn’t offer the protection it claims could expose you to a greater risk.’
Dr Claire Knight, of Cancer Research UK, said: ‘More than eight in ten skin cancers could be prevented by not getting sunburnt. The SPF and star rating are the two most important things to look out for when choosing sun- screen so it’s vital you can trust the information on the bottle.’
The Hawaiian Tropic cream was the third most expensive tested by Which? at £14.99 for 180ml. The Boots Soltan product came in at £4.50 for 200ml.
Hawaiian Tropic said all its products have been rigorously tested and its Silk Hydration Lotion SPF30 had been shown to exceed the SPF30 label claim, even after 80 minutes in water.
The firm said the product has earned The Skin Cancer Foundation’s Seal of Recommendation for Daily Use, based on a verdict from volunteer dermatologists.
Boots said: ‘We rigorously and independently test our products. We are confident all of our sun care products, including Soltan Protect & Moisturise Lotion SPF30, meet the SPF labelling claim.’
‘Expose you to a greater risk’