Cheap supermarket own-brand sun cream comes top as big brand fails Which? safety tests

CHEAP sunscreens could be better than forking out for brand name products, experts say.

Supermarket own-brand lotions costing as little as £3 worked better than expensive labels, according to consumer champion Which?.

Trials showed Asda’s factor 30 came out best on test, while the same product made by Avon did not offer anywhere near the protection it claimed – putting Brits at risk of burning.

Natalie Hitchins, of Which?, said: “It is great to see cheaper sunscreens available on the high street at a time where consumers need affordable options. 

“But it’s a concern to find a big brand product on the market that has failed our testing and did not offer the level of protection claimed on the packaging.” 

With high temperatures seeing a yellow heat warning issued across most of England until Monday, experts are concerned about Brits staying safe in the sun.

Suffering at least five sunburns in your life can double your risk of melanoma — a deadly skin cancer.

The NHS recommends adults use at least factor 30 sunscreen and spend time in the shade between 11am and 3pm from March to October in the UK.

The Which? safety tests looked at how much protection SPF30 sunscreens really offered, while also assessing how well they absorbed into the skin.

They showed Asda’s £3 Protect Moisturising Sun Lotion SPF30 offers as much protection as it claims, without leaving sticky residue.

In contrast, Avon’s £5.75 Refreshing 3-in-1 Face and Body Sun Lotion SPF30 did not come close to hitting how much protection it’s advertised at.

Which? advised consumers to avoid the product, saying it did not offer adequate sun protection.

Louise Scott, chief scientific officer of Avon, said: “Our sun creams are tested by independent laboratories and Avon stands by the results that show this product has an SPF 30 rating. 

“SPF testing by its nature is variable and whilst the Which? testing found this product to have a 26 SPF rating, we categorically dispute that people are putting themselves at risk by using this product.”

Larger brands like Ultrasun — which sells an SPF30 sunscreen at £22 — did offer as much protection as the Asda option, but were more greasy and left white marks.

Ms Hitchens said: “Our advice is to stick to a tried and tested suncream. 

“Do not be fooled into thinking that paying a higher price will definitely mean a better or safer product, as our testing proved a supermarket own brand product can do the job well.

“We’ve found plenty of highly effective, cheap sunscreens available on the high street, so there’s no need to splash out to keep you and your loved ones safe in the sun.”