– Consumers must be able to trust the sun factor that is stated on the sunscreen they buy, says senior adviser Rune Jemtland in the Norwegian Food Safety Authority’s chemical food safety section. This spring, they carried out an inspection of 17 different sun cream products on the Norwegian market. They checked both how well the sunscreens protected against UVA and UVB radiation and whether they complied with the labeling requirements. Five out of ten sunscreens labeled with high/very high protection (SPF50 and SPF50+) had worse sun protection than was stated. These were voluntarily removed in the sales section at the initiative of the importer/distributor, without the Norwegian Food Safety Authority needing to impose a sales ban, writes the Norwegian Food Safety Authority in a press release. – Worryingly, the Norwegian Food Safety Authority’s report from the inspection shows that one of the sunscreens labeled with SPF 50+ had a measured protection of 14.5, which means that the permitted labeling would have been SPF 10. Two other sunscreens labeled with SPF 50 had a protection of under 20, and should have been labeled with sun factor 15. – When sunscreen does not provide the protection promised, consumers can experience a false sense of security and expose themselves to more sun than they otherwise would. The findings are therefore worrying, says Jemtland. All the sunscreens in the survey that were labeled with sun factor 30 (SPF30) had sufficient protection. The sunscreen in the photo was not examined in the inspection. Photo: Berit Roald / NTB He believes the surveys show that the industry has a job to do. – The inspection was based on random samples, and the 17 sunscreens that were sampled in this inspection represent only a small part of the market for sunscreens, say the senior advisers. All the sunscreens in the survey that were labeled with sun factor 30 (SPF30) had sufficient protection. Only four sunscreens met labeling requirements The Norwegian Food Safety Authority also investigated whether the sunscreens had instructions on the correct use of solar radiation and warnings about risks associated with solar radiation. Only four sunscreens met all the requirements. – It is surprising that so many of the examined products did not meet this, says Jemtland. The deviations varied in severity, from minor to more extensive deficiencies. – One decision was made on requirements for Norwegian instructions for use, and one notice on decisions on Norwegian instructions for use and warning labels. The Norwegian Food Safety Authority also gave written guidance on the labeling of eleven products, writes the Norwegian Food Safety Authority. – Use sunscreen! All products with defects have either been corrected or removed from the Norwegian market. The inspectorate also checked whether the sunscreens contained prohibited ingredients, without finding any deviations. – Despite shortcomings in the range of sunscreen we examined, we would strongly encourage all consumers to continue using sunscreen. Excessive sunbathing without protection has a harmful effect on the skin and increases the risk of skin cancer, says Jemtland. (©NTB) Published 08.07.2024, at 07.45 Updated 08.07.2024, at 07.55
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Several sunscreens withdrawn from the market – had worse protection than stated – news Norway – Overview of news from different parts of the country
