Independent testing in New Zealand has revealed another six sunscreens sold in Australia fail to meet their SPF claims.
Products Fall Short of Advertised SPF
Seven did not achieve their UV protection claims. These include:
- Marine Blue Dry Touch Sunscreen Lotion SPF50+ (tested at SPF 34)
- Sun Bum Mineral SPF50+ (tested at SPF 38)
- Beauty of Joseon Ginseng Sun Moist Sun Serum SPF50+ (tested at SPF 41)
- Invisible Zinc Sport Mineral Sunscreen Lotion SPF50+ (tested at SPF 42)
- Le Tan Coconut Sunscreen Lotion SPF50+ (tested at SPF 46)
- Natio Sun Quick Dry Moisturising Sunscreen SPF50+ (tested at SPF 47)
Cetaphil Sun Ultra Light Lotion SPF50+ was one of the few products that met its advertised claim. For many Australians, this raises questions about the reliability of product labels. People rely on these ratings for protection, and a gap between expectation and reality can have real consequences for skin health.
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Regulatory Response and Brand Reactions
Choice director Andy Kelly noted that while the six products still offer a high level of protection, consumers should trust the label. “Consumers should be able to trust that they’re getting the highest level of protection – as advertised on the bottle,” he said.
In a statement, the regulator said it takes concerns about sunscreen performance seriously and will consider the findings to determine if further investigation or action is needed. The TGA also emphasized that even underperforming sunscreens offer more protection than none at all.
Some brands have reacted to the results. Natio said it was surprised by the finding, as its formula was tested by three labs, but it did not provide the data. Distributors for Invisible Zinc shared their surprise and provided a 2021 lab report that supports its SPF50+ rating. Farmers, which sells Beauty of Joseon, has temporarily withdrawn the product while it conducts more tests.
