Superdrug reduces price of own brand suncare range by 20%
Superdrug is reducing the price of its own brand suncare range by 20% as it looks to make the products more affordable and help families stay safe in the sun.
Due to come into effect across 41 products from 31 May, the price cut will remain in place until the end of the year.
The saving means that families will be able to protect both adults and children with SPF50 for just over £6 due to the Solait Sun Cream SPF50 (200ml) being reduced to £3.59 and the price of the Solait kid’s roll-on sun cream SPF50+ (75ml) being cut to £2.79.
Superdrug’s own brand director Jamie Archer said: “Sunscreen is currently classed as a cosmetic product and therefore carries the VAT associated with it, making it unaffordable for some people.
“Through our work with Beauty Banks we know that requests for donations of sun care products has gone up, with some people even having to forego it altogether, which is concerning to hear. We hope that by reducing the price of our Solait range we can help make sun protection more affordable and allow families to stay safe in the sun.”
Charity Melanoma Focus is calling on the government to remove VAT on high-factor sunscreens to make it more accessible for those unable to afford the products..
Susanna Daniels, chief executive of Melanoma Focus, said: “We’re delighted to hear that Superdrug plans to remove the 20% VAT cost for customers from their own brand sunscreen range. Skin cancer, particularly melanoma skin cancer, is an extremely serious and growing issue.
“This move by Superdrug is a big step in the right direction and a brilliant start to our mission to have VAT removed from all high-factor sunscreens across the UK.”
Beauty Banks founder Jo Jones added: “It’s unthinkable that a child’s short term and long term health is at risk because their family can’t afford sun protection. This move by Superdrug is a great one and we hope other retailers follow their example.”
