Sunscreens now have to comply with a mandatory standard.
After many years of campaigning, the Sunscreen (Product Safety Standard) Act finally became law!
Sunscreens are now regulated under the Fair Trading Act (FTA) and it is mandatory for products to meet the Australian and New Zealand sunscreen standard. Companies that breach the requirements face fines of up to $600,000.
Update: Australian skincare company Ego Pharmaceuticals has received a hefty fine of $280,000 for making unsubstantiated claims about the Sun Protection Factor (SPF) of two of its sunscreens.
There’s no regular testing required under the mandatory sunscreen standard.
We’re all vulnerable to NZ’s harsh sun. However, with no regular testing required under the mandatory sunscreen standard, you can’t always trust what’s on the label.
Sunscreens regulated as a therapeutic product
Regulating sunscreens under the Fair Trading Act should only be an interim measure. Sunscreens should be regulated as a therapeutic product, like they are in Australia.
Exposure to excessive UV radiation is a major risk factor for skin cancer. Sunscreen reduces this exposure, so it provides a therapeutic purpose – preventing DNA damage and the development of skin cancer.
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Feel the Burn: Sunscreen Fraud
All is not well in the world of sunscreen testing. It’s the scene of a decades long, multi-million-dollar fraud. A fraud perpetuated on the outskirts of NYC, whose effects have touched us all over the globe and may continue to be felt for years to come. This episode of the Consume This podcast investigates - listen below.
How we test sunscreens
In New Zealand, we’re the only ones doing regular, independent tests so you can trust what’s on the label.
Each year our researchers select a sample of sunscreens and send them “blind” to independent accredited labs. Following the methods in the Australian and New Zealand standard AS/NZS 2604, we test a sunscreen’s SPF (sun protection factor) which measures protection against UVB rays, and its broad-spectrum protection (against UVA and UVB rays). The standard requires SPF testing to be conducted on humans and it can take up to 3 months to receive a result.
Our sunscreen tests are funded by the Ministry of Health. But because sunscreen testing is expensive, and we’re a non-profit charity, we’re only able to test a small number of the 100+ sunscreens on shop shelves.