We all know that protecting our skin is important, but apparently, people are avoiding proper sun protection because of the cost.
57% of adults think sun cream is too expensive, according to a study involving 2,000 people by Tesco, and 29% said they would wear it daily if it was a little cheaper.
Nearly a third (31%) of parents surveyed said they can’t always afford to apply sun cream to the whole family, often deciding to apply it just on their children.
Wearing sunscreen can help to protect against skin cancer, with almost 90% of cases being preventable by being sun safe.
In a bid to encourage more people to stock up on SPF, Tesco is absorbing the cost of VAT on all products, meaning a reduction of 20% on the price.
The own-brand range is already cheaper than many of the big brands but this makes the products even less expensive.
Alessandra Bellini, Chief Customer Officer, Tesco said: ‘At Tesco, we believe sun protection is essential, and know that the cost of using it can add up.
‘With the events of the past year especially, money may be tighter than ever for many families.
‘We believe the safety of the nation’s skin should not be treated as a luxury, which is why we have permanently reduced the price of the sun protection products in our Tesco Soleil range by 20% to cover the cost of VAT.’
This means nearly all sun creams in the Soliel range now cost under £2 per 100ml. The only one beyond this price range is a mini bottle of Kidslight lotion, but it is more affordable in a bigger bottle.
To put this into perspective, a 200ml bottle of Tesco’s Soliel SPF 30 costs £2.80, compared to £5 for a bottle of Ambre Solaire or Nivea branded cream at the store.
Elsewhere, a similar bottle of Boots own brand Soltan cream costs £4 and at Superdrug, the own-brand Solait is £4.99.
Sainsbury’s offers a 200ml SPF 30 bottle for £3.50 and at M&S, it’s £6.50.
However, Asda does still come in a little cheaper than Tesco, offering a 200ml SPF 30 bottle for £2.39, and Morrisons comes close at £3 – so it is a good idea to shop around.
As well as noting the SPF, it’s important to look for the UVA rating. All those mentioned have a five-star rating – the maximum amount. While you may find even cheaper brands, it’s important not to compromise on protection.
As well as the VAT absorption, Tesco is launching a partnership with a national skin cancer charity, SKCIN and as part of that, they will train its pharmacy colleagues to enable them to confidently advise customers about UV exposure, skin cancer prevention and early detection, in addition to signposting customers to further information.
Marie Tudor, CEO of SKCIN said: ‘Skin cancer statistics are compelling and with rates rapidly increasing, we are delighted that Tesco has chosen to prioritise the health of its customers with this initiative.
‘Millions of people visit Tesco every day, so by equipping its pharmacy teams with this knowledge, Tesco can help educate customers on skin cancer and the importance of protecting their skin, while also helping to make sun protection more accessible by reducing the cost.
‘We hope that together, through this initiative, we can significantly increase awareness of skin cancer prevention and early detection to help protect the health of the nation.’
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