How accurate are sunscreen SPF claims? Tests show that most brands fall short

The Advertiser

4 days ago

Many of Australia's most popular sunscreen brands do not offer the sun protection touted on the label, independent testing has found.
One sunscreen, advertised as having a sun protection factor (SPF) of 50+, returned an SPF test result of four.
Consumer advocate Choice tested the SPF claims of 20 popular brands, including Cancer Council, Banana Boat and Bondi Sands, in its "specialised, accredited sunscreen lab".
More than three-quarters of SPF 50+ sunscreens did not have the advertised protection, with most rating between SPF 24 and SPF 43, Choice found.
Choice CEO Ashley de Silva said "of the 20 sunscreens we tested, only four products actually met their SPF 50 or 50+ claims".
"Consumers expect sunscreen to protect them in line with the SPF rating on the product, but as our testing has shown, the SPF label doesn't always match what's in the bottle," he said.
The consumer advocacy group has notified the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) and the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA).
Mr de Silva said Choice was "calling on the TGA to urgently carry out its own sunscreen compliance testing and on the ACCC to investigate if any SPF claims are misleading".
"Currently, the TGA relies on reports provided by manufacturers to ensure the safety, quality and efficacy of sunscreen products," he said.
"Unfortunately, these reports may not be providing the accurate information consumers need when choosing sunscreens for themselves and their families."
Sunscreens were chosen from a range of brands, retailers, and price points, and tested by experts, Choice said.
The lowest protection rating went to Ultra Violette's Lean Screen SPF 50+ Mattifying Zinc Skinscreen, which returned an SPF of 4.
A 75ml container retails for $41.60 at Sephora.
"We were really shocked to see the results for Ultra Violette's Lean Screen SPF 50+ product, so much so that we actually decided to test a different batch at a completely different lab in Germany to confirm the results," Mr de Silva said.
"Those tests found the product had an SPF of 5 - an almost identical result to our initial testing," he said.
Even the Cancer Council Ultra Sunscreen 50+ tested at SPF 24, the research found.
Sunscreen with SPF 40+ results
Sunscreen with SPF 30+ results
Sunscreen with SPF 20+ results
But it's not all bad news. Four sunscreens were found to offer as much, or more, sun protection than was touted on the label.
The four sunscreens that met their SPF claims were:
Choice's CEO said: "It's important to highlight that this testing does not mean sunscreen doesn't work".
"While some specific sunscreens did not meet their claimed SPF, a sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or even 20 still offers a significant amount of sunscreen protection, and any sunscreen is better than none at all."
Many of Australia's most popular sunscreen brands do not offer the sun protection touted on the label, independent testing has found.
One sunscreen, advertised as having a sun protection factor (SPF) of 50+, returned an SPF test result of four.
Consumer advocate Choice tested the SPF claims of 20 popular brands, including Cancer Council, Banana Boat and Bondi Sands, in its "specialised, accredited sunscreen lab".
More than three-quarters of SPF 50+ sunscreens did not have the advertised protection, with most rating between SPF 24 and SPF 43, Choice found.
Choice CEO Ashley de Silva said "of the 20 sunscreens we tested, only four products actually met their SPF 50 or 50+ claims".
"Consumers expect sunscreen to protect them in line with the SPF rating on the product, but as our testing has shown, the SPF label doesn't always match what's in the bottle," he said.
The consumer advocacy group has notified the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) and the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA).
Mr de Silva said Choice was "calling on the TGA to urgently carry out its own sunscreen compliance testing and on the ACCC to investigate if any SPF claims are misleading".
"Currently, the TGA relies on reports provided by manufacturers to ensure the safety, quality and efficacy of sunscreen products," he said.
"Unfortunately, these reports may not be providing the accurate information consumers need when choosing sunscreens for themselves and their families."
Sunscreens were chosen from a range of brands, retailers, and price points, and tested by experts, Choice said.
The lowest protection rating went to Ultra Violette's Lean Screen SPF 50+ Mattifying Zinc Skinscreen, which returned an SPF of 4.
A 75ml container retails for $41.60 at Sephora.
"We were really shocked to see the results for Ultra Violette's Lean Screen SPF 50+ product, so much so that we actually decided to test a different batch at a completely different lab in Germany to confirm the results," Mr de Silva said.
"Those tests found the product had an SPF of 5 - an almost identical result to our initial testing," he said.
Even the Cancer Council Ultra Sunscreen 50+ tested at SPF 24, the research found.
Sunscreen with SPF 40+ results
Sunscreen with SPF 30+ results
Sunscreen with SPF 20+ results
But it's not all bad news. Four sunscreens were found to offer as much, or more, sun protection than was touted on the label.
The four sunscreens that met their SPF claims were:
Choice's CEO said: "It's important to highlight that this testing does not mean sunscreen doesn't work".
"While some specific sunscreens did not meet their claimed SPF, a sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or even 20 still offers a significant amount of sunscreen protection, and any sunscreen is better than none at all."
Many of Australia's most popular sunscreen brands do not offer the sun protection touted on the label, independent testing has found.
One sunscreen, advertised as having a sun protection factor (SPF) of 50+, returned an SPF test result of four.
Consumer advocate Choice tested the SPF claims of 20 popular brands, including Cancer Council, Banana Boat and Bondi Sands, in its "specialised, accredited sunscreen lab".
More than three-quarters of SPF 50+ sunscreens did not have the advertised protection, with most rating between SPF 24 and SPF 43, Choice found.
Choice CEO Ashley de Silva said "of the 20 sunscreens we tested, only four products actually met their SPF 50 or 50+ claims".
"Consumers expect sunscreen to protect them in line with the SPF rating on the product, but as our testing has shown, the SPF label doesn't always match what's in the bottle," he said.
The consumer advocacy group has notified the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) and the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA).
Mr de Silva said Choice was "calling on the TGA to urgently carry out its own sunscreen compliance testing and on the ACCC to investigate if any SPF claims are misleading".
"Currently, the TGA relies on reports provided by manufacturers to ensure the safety, quality and efficacy of sunscreen products," he said.
"Unfortunately, these reports may not be providing the accurate information consumers need when choosing sunscreens for themselves and their families."
Sunscreens were chosen from a range of brands, retailers, and price points, and tested by experts, Choice said.
The lowest protection rating went to Ultra Violette's Lean Screen SPF 50+ Mattifying Zinc Skinscreen, which returned an SPF of 4.
A 75ml container retails for $41.60 at Sephora.
"We were really shocked to see the results for Ultra Violette's Lean Screen SPF 50+ product, so much so that we actually decided to test a different batch at a completely different lab in Germany to confirm the results," Mr de Silva said.
"Those tests found the product had an SPF of 5 - an almost identical result to our initial testing," he said.
Even the Cancer Council Ultra Sunscreen 50+ tested at SPF 24, the research found.
Sunscreen with SPF 40+ results
Sunscreen with SPF 30+ results
Sunscreen with SPF 20+ results
But it's not all bad news. Four sunscreens were found to offer as much, or more, sun protection than was touted on the label.
The four sunscreens that met their SPF claims were:
Choice's CEO said: "It's important to highlight that this testing does not mean sunscreen doesn't work".
"While some specific sunscreens did not meet their claimed SPF, a sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or even 20 still offers a significant amount of sunscreen protection, and any sunscreen is better than none at all."
Many of Australia's most popular sunscreen brands do not offer the sun protection touted on the label, independent testing has found.
One sunscreen, advertised as having a sun protection factor (SPF) of 50+, returned an SPF test result of four.
Consumer advocate Choice tested the SPF claims of 20 popular brands, including Cancer Council, Banana Boat and Bondi Sands, in its "specialised, accredited sunscreen lab".
More than three-quarters of SPF 50+ sunscreens did not have the advertised protection, with most rating between SPF 24 and SPF 43, Choice found.
Choice CEO Ashley de Silva said "of the 20 sunscreens we tested, only four products actually met their SPF 50 or 50+ claims".
"Consumers expect sunscreen to protect them in line with the SPF rating on the product, but as our testing has shown, the SPF label doesn't always match what's in the bottle," he said.
The consumer advocacy group has notified the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) and the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA).
Mr de Silva said Choice was "calling on the TGA to urgently carry out its own sunscreen compliance testing and on the ACCC to investigate if any SPF claims are misleading".
"Currently, the TGA relies on reports provided by manufacturers to ensure the safety, quality and efficacy of sunscreen products," he said.
"Unfortunately, these reports may not be providing the accurate information consumers need when choosing sunscreens for themselves and their families."
Sunscreens were chosen from a range of brands, retailers, and price points, and tested by experts, Choice said.
The lowest protection rating went to Ultra Violette's Lean Screen SPF 50+ Mattifying Zinc Skinscreen, which returned an SPF of 4.
A 75ml container retails for $41.60 at Sephora.
"We were really shocked to see the results for Ultra Violette's Lean Screen SPF 50+ product, so much so that we actually decided to test a different batch at a completely different lab in Germany to confirm the results," Mr de Silva said.
"Those tests found the product had an SPF of 5 - an almost identical result to our initial testing," he said.
Even the Cancer Council Ultra Sunscreen 50+ tested at SPF 24, the research found.
Sunscreen with SPF 40+ results
Sunscreen with SPF 30+ results
Sunscreen with SPF 20+ results
But it's not all bad news. Four sunscreens were found to offer as much, or more, sun protection than was touted on the label.
The four sunscreens that met their SPF claims were:
Choice's CEO said: "It's important to highlight that this testing does not mean sunscreen doesn't work".
"While some specific sunscreens did not meet their claimed SPF, a sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or even 20 still offers a significant amount of sunscreen protection, and any sunscreen is better than none at all."