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Health Minister says it's 'really concerning' multiple sunscreens failed Consumer NZ test

November 21, 2019

Sue Chetwin has repeated calls for sunscreen to be regulated in New Zealand after nine products failed independent tests.

The Health Minister says it is "really concerning that sunscreens have been found not up to scratch" - after almost half of sunscreens tested by Consumer NZ did not provide the specified SPF protection.

"It's not something that's regulated and its something we're looking at at the moment," David Clark said today.

Nine out of 20 sunscreens tested by Consumer NZ failed, with Cancer Society and Banana Boat among the brands that did not pass the test , which were conducted by two separate independent laboratories.

The Cancer Society Everyday Sun Lotion SPF50+ only showed a maximum of SPF30 - to claim SPF50+, a sunscreen must achieve SPF60 in lab testing.

Mr Clark said the Government had received feedback on regulating sunscreens, and were currently looking at pulling sunscreen under the law. 

He said sunscreen was covered by consumer legislation, "but people should be aware and should make themselves aware of which products are compliant and which ones are not according to that consumer testing". 

"Some sunscreens are doing what they promise and others are not... consumers should make sure they do read up and find out which ones are the ones that can be trusted."

"It is concerning that any sunscreen might not do what it says it does on the bottle and that's why consumers need to be cautious."

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