Which? issues water-resistant sun creams warning

A report by consumer watchdog Which? has claimed that the protection offered by popular water-resistant sun creams plummets in conditions that replicate the sea and fast-moving water.

Which? tested water-resistance claims made by two popular sun creams and found that the sun protection factor (SPF) dropped by up to 59% after 40 minutes in salt water. Water-resistance claims are made on the majority of sun protection products, yet the findings exposed serious flaws in the current testing regime, Which? said.

One of the sun creams tested saw its SPF drop by 59% in salt water and moving water. In tap water, one product’s SPF fell by 21%, and the other by 40%. SPFs dropped by more than a third in chlorinated water. The results suggest its SPF after immersion would be even lower if you went into the sea, moving water or chlorinated water.

Nikki Stopford, Which? director of research and publishing, said, "Our research shows water-resistant sun creams don’t live up to their claims when subjected to rigorous tests – raising serious questions about the current guidelines. ‘With 15,400 new cases of melanoma each year, manufacturers should be required to robustly test their products and make only claims that can be relied on, ensuring holidaymakers know they can trust their sun cream to protect them."

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