Sun protection creams claiming to give ‘total protection’ are misleading consumers and could be putting people at greater risk from skin cancer, according to a new EU report today.
BY News Editor 11 July, 2007
Sun cream manufacturers have agreed to drop label ‘lies’ which claim to completely ‘bloc’ UV damage to eth skin from sun exposure because of fears they are giving sun lovers a false sense of security about exposing their skin to the sun.
Skin cancer rates in the UK have more than doubled in the last 20 years. The EU and sun protection cream manufacturers have agreed upon a new code to ensure labels are more honest and informative about the protection their creams can offer. The actual word ‘sunblock’ is to be banned from use along with descriptions of ‘total protection’ and ‘100% protection’.
The report also suggests that sun protection labels should also make clear the realistic level of protection their products offer against both types of harmful rays from the sun, which are UVA and UVB, currently many SPF creams only refer to their protection again UVB rays as that is the only one that is subject to standard regulations. In future there will be standard regulations for UVA protection on all SPF creams.
A recent report by WHICH magazine found that many popular brand SPF creams did not offer the level of protection that was alluded to on the label. This summer 20% of sun cream manufacturers will voluntarily comply with the new regulations, although the British Trading Standard Institute is lobbying for new laws to be introduced which will mean that all sun cream manufacturers will have to comply with the recommended new regulations.
