Three new sunscreen lotions from Belgian firm Biosolis do not provide appropriate UV protection as stated on the package, according to consumer rights organization Test Achats.
Test Achats determined that none of the new sunscreen products — Biosolis’ SPF 30 spray, the SPF 30 lotion, and the SPF 50+ lotion — provided the protection stated on the box.
Test Achats spokesperson Simon November mentioned in the statement, “We have lodged another complaint with the Federal Public Health Service against these three products with the request to take them off the market while the authorities verify whether or not they comply with the regulations.”
In terms of UV B protection (“in actuality, they only give SPF 10”) and UV A protection, the SPF 30 spray and lotion containers failed the test. The SPF 50+ lotion, on the other hand, according to the organization, gives enough UV B protection but not UV A protection.
The protest against these items followed Test Achats’ prior concerns when 16 sunscreen products were tested in May. Three more items failed to deliver the protection claimed on the label.
The ISDIN Gel Cream SPF 30 has been removed from store shelves, while the Clinique Mineral suncream SPF 30 and the Zwitsal SPF50+ cream, with a scent designed for newborns and young children, are still available on the Belgian market.
November stated, “This is despite the complaint that Test Achats sent to the FPS Public Health in early May. This worries us since we are in a period where consumers are applying lots of sunscreen products to protect themselves from the sun.”
He emphasized that because Biosolis goods are Belgian, the FPS Public Health can take any steps it sees appropriate in Belgium, including retesting the items, without having to wait for foreign authorities to act. “Therefore, we hope for a quicker response than in the case of foreign products,” he said.
The consumer rights organization’s tests are carried out by an independent and recognized laboratory strictly following the necessary ISO standards for this sort of test.
