Sunscreen suppliers defend products

Two sunscreen suppliers have defended the labelling on their products that prompted the Cancer Foundation to complain to the Commerce Commission.

The commission, backed by the Health Sponsorship Council, disputed claims that Piz Buin Day Long, Once Sunscreen and Daylong Sunscreen offered all-day protection from one application.

Cancer Society chief executive Neil Chave said on Thursday that there was no evidence to suggest that one application would provide eight hours of protection for people swimming and taking clothes on and off.

He said sunscreen needed to be applied every two to three hours, particularly with fair-skinned people and when combined with swimming.

"We think the consumer is not getting the facts. Obviously, if there is evidence from them to suggest they are right, then we would be pleased to see it," Mr Chave said.

But pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson NZ managing director Craig Towers said yesterday that the technology behind the company's Piz Buin long-lasting sunscreen was backed by international independent research that demonstrated it worked.

Mr Towers said New Zealanders typically did not re-apply sunscreen enough and put too little on. The product in question was developed to counter that. Piz Buin Day Long contained silicone and polypeptide, which acted like hairspray, sealing the skin and the sun cream together.

"We are happy to demonstrate the research backing the efficacy of this revolutionary sun protection technology to those who are interested," he said.

Once Trading company director Helen Morton said Once Sunscreen provided SPF 20 protection on the skin for eight hours, including two hours under water. The protection rating started at SPF 30, reducing to SPF 20 after eight hours.

Ms Morton said the product had been submitted for "exhaustive and conclusive" testing before being released to the market.

"We welcome the opportunity to work with the Cancer Society to demonstrate the effectiveness of the technology that is now available to protect people in the sun."

- NZPA