Warning, as the top three sunscreen brands fail safety tests, which ones? probe – but the best were cheap supermarket purchases

THREE top sun creams have failed an annual safety test.

Which consumer group? found that Asda Protect Moisturizing Sun Lotion SPF30 High, Calypso Press & Protect Sun Lotion SPF30 and Bondi Sands Fragrance-Free Facial Sunscreen Lotion SPF50+ did not meet their claims of SPF and UVA protection.

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

Bondi Sands declined to comment.

Which? said the Calypso product, which costs £8 for 200ml, “barely met” two-thirds of the SPF 30 claimed in both tests.

The £2.80 lotion from Asda, which also comes in a 200ml bottle, 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, “didn’t come close” to the claimed SPF.

It also did not reach the minimum required UVA protection.

However, Lidl’s Cien Sun Spray SPF30, costing £3.29 for 200ml, “triumphed” in testing and did a “great overall job” of protecting the skin.

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

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

Natalie Hitchins, head of home products and services at Which?, said: “It’s extremely worrying that some big brands failed our tests and didn’t offer the level of sun protection claimed on the packaging.

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

“Our results prove that there is no need to spend money to keep you and your loved ones safe in the sun this summer and that many of the supermarkets’ own brand products can do a good job.”

An Asda spokesperson said: “Recently, our Asda Protect SPF 30 High Moisturizing Sun Lotion was retested by a leading third-party supplier using internationally recognized testing methods.

“These test results confirmed that this product has a sun protection factor of 31.5 and we therefore do not recognize the test results that Which? published.

“When Which? reviewed this same product in 2022, they considered it ‘Great Value’ at the time and it passed the 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.

Which? tested 26 sunscreens in total using international standard methods in an independent laboratory.

For SPF, this involved applying the products to volunteers’ backs and using a UV lamp to illuminate the skin with rays until it turned red.

SPF is determined by the amount of energy (UVB) needed to make skin red with and without sunscreen.

To pass this test, sunscreens needed to reach the claimed SPF.

For UVA protection, lotions were applied to glass plates and a spectrophotometer was used to measure the amount of light filtered by the sunscreen.

To be approved, sunscreens needed to have at least a third of the claimed SPF, in line with the EU recommendation for UVA protection.

HOW TO PROPERLY PROTECT YOURSELF

The SPF number – or sun protection factor – indicates how well a sunscreen protects against sunburn (UVB), while the UVA number indicates the percentage of UVA radiation that is absorbed compared to UVB.

For both, the higher the number, the better the protection.

UVA and UVB are harmful to the skin, but UVA penetrates deeper. Both play a role in skin cancer.

To comply with EU standards, the UVA/UVB protection ratio must be 1:3. This is indicated by the letters ‘UVA’ enclosed in a circle.

But the NHS says products should also have a four-star rating or higher, whatever the SPF, as it’s not the only measure of effectiveness.

“When buying sunscreen, the label must have an SPF of at least 30 for protection against UVB and UVA protection of at least four stars,” states the health service.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), which sets the guidelines, adds: “To reduce the risks of sun exposure, sunscreen must meet minimum UVA protection standards.

“The label must have the letters ‘UVA’ in a circular logo and must have at least four stars of UVA protection.”

It’s not that products below this limit won’t work, but a higher rating means better protection.

Inadequate sun protection puts people at risk of serious sunburn and skin cancer, charities and health bodies warn.

But it’s not just about sunscreen. Spending time in the shade and covering up with clothing are the best and cheapest ways to protect yourself from harm, says Cancer Research UK.

At least 100,000 new cases of skin cancer are diagnosed each year, and the disease kills more than 2,500 annually, according to the British Skin Foundation.

Getting severe sunburn, especially in childhood, increases your risk of developing it later in life.