High street retailer Superdrug is cutting the cost of Solait suncare products by 20% as it recognises protection as a healthcare essential 

It is well documented that too much ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun or sunbeds can damage DNA in your skin cells and cause skin cancer, and one of the ways to prevent sun damage is to apply SPF. 

Earlier this month, the British Association of Dermatologists reported that 40% of people in Great Britain reported a least one case of sunburn last year. What’s more, the number of days in a year with a UV index of 3 or more is increasing across the UK. This points towards the fact that suncare is increasingly vital for the skin protection of adults and young people. 

However, a recent survey carried out by Melanoma Focus found that ‘1 in 10 people across the UK aren’t wearing sunscreen because it is too expensive and people on the very lowest incomes are less likely to wear sunscreen than any other economic group’.

In response, Superdrug is removing the VAT cost from its own-brand suncare range, Solait, following increasing calls to the government to remove the 20% cost across all SPF offerings. 

This means families will be able to protect both adults and children with SPF50 for just over £6. Prices will be cut from today (31st May 2023) until the end of the year. 

Superdrug’s Own Brand Director, Jamie Archer, says: ‘We believe that everyone should have access to the products that protect their health and well-being and at an affordable price. 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 have 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.’

Skin cancer cases are closely linked to deprivation, with Cancer Research UK reporting that approximately 4,000 cases of melanoma skin cancer each year in England are linked with lower deprivation. This increases to around 25,000 when including non-melanoma skin cancer cases.

Susanna Daniels, CEO of Melanoma Focus said: ‘We’re delighted to hear that Superdrug plans to remove the 20% VAT cost for customers from their brand sunscreen range. Skin cancer, particularly melanoma skin cancer, is an extremely serious and growing issue. It is now the 5th most common cancer in the UK killing around 2,300 people each year. 86% of melanomas are preventable and therefore, wearing a high SPF sunscreen is a hugely important safety measure for protecting against it. Anything we can do to make sunscreen more accessible and affordable will help to cut the overall incidence of skin cancer and could help save lives. 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.’