High-street sunscreen lotions ‘fail protection tests’, finds Which? report

Asda Protect Moisturising Sun Lotion SPF30 High,Bondi Sands SPF 50+ Fragrance Free Face Sunscreen Lotion and Calypso Press & Protect Sun Lotion SPF30 fail the tests

Three popular sunscreen products have failed an annual safety test by consumer group Which?.

Asda Protect Moisturising Sun Lotion SPF30 High,Calypso Press & Protect Sun Lotion SPF30 and Bondi Sands SPF 50+ Fragrance Free Face Sunscreen Lotion all failed the watchdog’s tests to assess their SPF (sun protection factor) and UVA (ultraviolet A) protection.

Asda said it did not recognise the results,while Calypso said its product passed EU standards and regulations in independent testing.

Which? said the Calypso’s Press & Protect lotion,costing £8 for 200ml,“barely mustered” two-thirds of its claimed SPF30 in both tests.

Asda’s Protect Moisturising lotion failed both rounds of testing,the watchdog said.

Which? tested face-specific sunscreens for the first time this year,finding that the Bondi Sands SPF50+ product costing £7.99 for 75ml “did not come close” to the claimed SPF and did not reach the minimum required UVA protection.

However,Lidl’s Cien Sun Spray SPF30,costing £3.29 for 200ml,“triumphed” in the testing and did an “all-round excellent job” of protecting skin.

Another budget brand,Aldi’s Lacura SPF30 Sun Lotion costing just £2.49 for 200ml,also passed the SPF and UVA tests.

Lidl’s Cien Kids Sensitive Sunscreen Spray 50+ (£3.29 for 200ml) also proved to meet its SPF and UVA protection claims.

‘Affordable sunscreen options’

Natalie Hitchins,Which? head of home products and services,said: “It is incredibly concerning that some big brands failed our tests and did not offer the level of sun protection claimed on the packaging.

“However,it is great to see cheaper top quality sunscreen options available on the high street and in supermarkets at a time when shoppers need affordable options.

“Our results prove that there’s no need to splash out to keep you and your loved ones safe in the sun this summer and that many of the supermarket own-brand products can do a good job.”

An Asda spokesman said: “We recently had our Asda Protect Moisturising Sun Lotion SPF 30 High re-tested by a leading external provider using internationally recognised testing methods. These test results confirmed that this product has a sun protection factor of 31.5,and therefore we do not recognise the test results Which? has published.

“When Which? reviewed this same product in 2022,they awarded it ‘great value’ at that time and it passed their SPF test.”

Calypso Sun said: “All products are carefully and independently tested and have passed EU standards and regulations.”

Bondi Sands did not respond to a request for comment.