The European Commission will state today that there is no such thing as a safe suntan, by banning the words “sunblock” and “100 per cent sun protection” from bottles of sun cream.

Requiring sunscreen labels to conform to a common standard of information would, the Commission says, put an end to consumer confusion and help to reduce skin cancer, which kills up to 1,800 Britons a year.

Those creams that claim to offer total protection from the sun’s harmful rays do no such thing, while brands that use the term “sunblock” will have to find another description. Meglena Kuneva, the Consumer Affairs Commissioner, said: “Consumers must be made fully aware that no sunscreen product can provide 100 per cent protection against hazardous ultraviolet (UV) radiation.”

The best rating system – Sun Protection Factor (SPF) – describes only the protection against UV-B rays, not the more harmful UVA rays, which cause premature skin ageing and can interfere with the immune system.

The Commission will require all sun creams to state by next summer whether they provide low, medium, high or very high protection, and give their SPF against UV-B rays. They will also have to display what protection they offer against UVA rays. Exposure to both types of radiation can increase the risk of developing skin cancer. Cancer Research UK says that the skin cancer rate has more than doubled in 20 years, with more than 75,000 new cases diagnosed last year.

Recent tests by Which?, the consumer association, found that many sunscreens failed to offer the protection or even the SPF promised on the label. Some creams that claimed to have an SPF of 15, the recommended minimum, had in fact an SPF of 6.

The Commission will advise consumers how much sunscreen they would need to apply to get the protection indicated on the label. For an adult the recommended minimum amount is 2mg per cm² – the equivalent of six full teaspoons.

Nina Goad, of the British Association of Dermatologists, said: “Removing terms like ‘100 per cent protection’ will help dispel the myth that using sunscreen means you can lie out in the sun for hours without having to worry about skin damage. No sunscreen offers total protection.”

Are you protected?

The Best

Garnier AmbreSolaire Moisturising Protection Milk Label SPF 15 Actual SPF 18.1 UVA rating Good

L’Oréal Solar Expertise Advanced Protection Lotion Label SPF 15 Actual SPF 17.8 UVA rating Good

The Worst

Boots Soltan Sun Lotion Label SPF 15 Actual SPF 8.7 Boots says it has retested the lotion and found it exceeded SPF 15

Wilkinsons Wilko Sun Protection System Label SPF 15 Actual SPF 6.3 Wilkinsons says it will retest the lotion and expects it to pass

Malibu High Protection Lotion Label SPF 15 Actual SPF 6.9 Malibu says it has retested the lotion and found it exceeded SPF 15

Source: Which?

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