Three sunscreen products of SPF 50 or 50+ have been found to not offer the protection that they claim to provide, Belgian consumer protection association Test Achats announced on Thursday.
Earlier this month, the association found other four sun lotions, in the SPF 30 range, which do not comply with their label.
In the new analysis, the association also found endocrine disruptors in five sun creams intended for children and warns the public that a higher price is not a guarantee of better quality when it comes to sunscreen.
"There is no need to empty your bank account to buy a good sunscreen," stated Test Achats spokesperson Laura Clays. The association's analysis demonstrated that consumers can buy good sunscreen for less than €50 per litre.
Seven offenders
Lidl's Cien Love the Planet SPF 50, Bioderma's Photoderm Lait Ultra SPF 50+ and Biosolis Sunspray SPF 50 are the three offenders identified by Test Achats from an analysis of 23 products on the Belgian market.
The association found that Lidl's Cien Love the Planet SPF 50 actually offers an SPF 30 level of protection. The Bioderma and Biosolis products also do not give sufficient protection against ultraviolet A (UVA) rays.
UVA rays penetrate deeper into the skin which results in premature skin ageing, while UVB rays are more responsible for skin burning.
A fourth product, Biosolis Kid's Sun Lotion SPF 50+ was found last year to not respect the UVA protection, and Test Achats warns that it is still available on the market.
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"We have passed our findings on to the Federal Public Service of Health and Economy and asked them to take action," said Clays about the four products.
In its previous report on SPF 30 sunscreens, Test Achats discouraged consumers from buying Biosolis, Clinique Minéral and Naif sun lotions because of their use of mineral filters. The association said that only two out of six products that use mineral filters provide adequate coverage and discouraged customers from buying them.
The association noted that the four SPF 30 products are also at the higher end of the price range, being sold for €200 per litre or more.
Endocrine disruptors
The presence of chemical filters known as endocrine disruptors was also analysed by Test Achats. These substances will be banned from sunscreens starting in January 2025.
In the current transition phase, two versions of the same products are still often found at manufacturers: the old version containing the disruptors, and the new one that does not. "If you want to avoid these harmful filters, you must read the labels carefully," advises spokesperson for Test Achats Jean-Philippe Ducart.
The six products containing endocrine disruptors include three Vichy SPF 50+ products, a LaRoche Posay SPF 50+ cream, a Eucerin sun spray and an ISDIN lotion.
Most of them contain homosalate, a known endocrine disruptor, while the ISDIN product contains octocrylene, which can transform into a suspected endocrine disruptor. The list can be consulted here.
