Leading dermatologists fear deprived families could shun sunscreen due to its cost, as some experts call for a voucher scheme giving children and those in need free access.
Melanoma skin cancer is on the rise and 4,000 cases annually are linked to poverty, according to the Melanoma Focus charity.
Prof Mabs Chowdhury, the president of the British Association of Dermatologists, said sunscreen was “one of the important tools at our disposal against the preventable risk of skin cancer”.
He added: “It’s very concerning to think that there are people who would be taking sunscreen out of their shopping basket, during this period of economic hardship, in favour of buying other essentials.”
A survey from Melanoma Focus found that 50% of people think sunblock is too expensive, with 10% saying they do not use it because of the cost.
The suncare market in the UK is worth an estimated £169m, Kantar analysts have said, with hot summers causing the figure to rise by 11.4% in a year, making it one of the fastest growing categories across health and beauty. The average shopper spends £16 on these products.
Supermarkets are reporting increased growth, with Sainsbury’s saying its sales are up by more than 186% year on year. John Lewis, which owns Waitrose, experienced a 71% increase in a year.
Superdrug said compared with last year, sales of suncare products in recent weeks were up more than 46%. It said shoppers were also increasingly choosing higher SPF factors and switching to own-brand ranges as they were more cost-effective.
The rise in purchasing is due to hotter summers and a greater concern from people about skincare routines, brands report. However, concern has also been raised that some people may not be able to afford products due to economic hardship.
ONS data shows that sunscreen has risen in cost by 5%, from an average of £6.26 a bottle to £6.58, when comparing figures from April 2018 with the same month in 2023.
The British Association of Dermatologists has joined calls to remove VAT from the sale of sunscreen. Currently, only high-factor sunscreen on the NHS prescription list for certain conditions is available VAT-free when it is dispensed by a pharmacist. They said: “Removing VAT from all high protection sunscreen really could make a difference in someone’s family budgeting and have a positive impact on their health.”
Revenues in the sun protection area in the UK are estimated to be in the region of about £331m, meaning the VAT collected could be up to £67m.
Tesco and Superdrug have both recently cut the price of their own-brand sun protection range by 20% to absorb the VAT for customers.
Julian Peace, the deputy chair at the Primary Care Dermatology Society, said in an ideal world sunscreen would be given out for free. “However, in the current setting, it causes an issue – partly because of the difficulty in tying down who would be responsible.
“The highest priority would be organising a provision for children … There is a voucher scheme available for vitamin D supplements – under the ‘healthy start’ scheme – and this may be a system by which supplies of sunscreen could be allocated to those most in need.”
Testing by the consumer group Which? recently found that cheap supermarket own-brand sunscreen can be just as effective. Asda’s Protect Refreshing Clear Sun Spray at £4 for 200ml and Protect Moisturising Sun Lotion SPF30 at £3 for 200ml both did well. Which? said Asda “outshone” the premium £22 product Ultrasun Family SPF30.
People in the Netherlands are to be offered free sun protection this summer in an effort to tackle record levels of skin cancer in the country.
Susanna Daniels, the chief executive of Melanoma Focus, said: “We congratulate the Netherlands for making this vital move to encourage sun safety and we are currently examining the impact evaluation that prompted their choice to provide free sunscreen.”
A government spokesperson said: “High-factor sunscreen is on the NHS prescription list for certain conditions and is already provided VAT-free when dispensed by a pharmacist to these patients.
“Survival rates for most cancers are improving and record numbers of people are receiving treatment – but we know there is more to do. That’s why we’re focused on fighting cancer on all fronts through prevention, diagnosis, treatment, research and funding.”
Supermarket brands perform well in Which? testing
Cheap supermarket own-brand sunscreen has triumphed in safety testing – while one lotion from Avon has been labelled a “don’t buy”, according to consumer group Which?
Two rounds of testing by the watchdog found Avon’s Refreshing 3-in-1 Face and Body Sun Lotion SPF30, costing £5.75 for 150ml, “did not come close to hitting its claimed SPF30”.
Which? advised consumers to avoid the product, saying it did not offer adequate sun protection.
In a statement given to the watchdog, Avon said: “The safety of our customers is our priority and that’s why our expert skincare team produces the most effective sun care formulas. Upon hearing from Which? Avon has engaged its Quality and Research and Development teams to investigate the specific batch of product that Which? tested.
“Avon stands behind its data and that of the independent labs which conduct our testing.”
Asda triumphed in the testing, with several of its products passing sun protection tests while also costing relatively little.
Asda Protect Moisturising Sun Lotion SPF30 at £3 for 200ml contained all the UVA and UVB sun protection claimed while absorbing easily, according to the testing and panellists’ feedback.
Among slightly more expensive spray products, Which? testers found Asda’s Protect Refreshing Clear Sun Spray at £4 for 200ml was easy to apply and did not leave any visible residue after application while containing the required SPF and UVA protection.
Which? said the supermarket’s product outperformed more expensive offerings from other brands, including the £22 product Ultrasun Family SPF30.
Although both were “highly effective” against UV, Ultrasun was not as easily absorbed and left more of a visible residue.
Boots own-brand Soltan Protect & Moisturise Lotion SPF30 at £4 for 200ml also “comfortably met” SPF testing for UVB and UVA.
Asda’s Kids Sun Lotion Spray at £3.60 topped the SPF50 category for children, while Which? also named Boots Soltan Kids Protect & Moisturise Lotion at £4 as another “great value” option.
Natalie Hitchins, Which? head of home products and services, said: “It is great to see cheaper sunscreen options available on the high street and in supermarkets at a time where consumers need affordable options.
“However, it’s a concern to find a big brand product on the market that has failed our testing and did not offer the level of protection claimed on the packaging.
“Our advice is to stick to a tried and tested suncream. Do not be fooled into thinking that paying a higher price will definitely mean a better or safer product as our testing proved a supermarket own-brand product can do the job well.”
