The New Zealand’s Commerce Commission has asked the Cancer Society, New Zealand for information about the alleged failure of one its sunscreen products, and what the society is doing about the problem.
The Commission’s request to the Cancer Society follows testing carried out by the Consumers’ Institute, and reported in the media, which alleges the Cancer Society’s SPF 30+ Trigger Spray Sunscreen does not live up to its SPF claim.
The Commission has written to the Cancer Society asking for test results relating to the product, and information on action the Society is taking to ensure other products meet their SPF claims.
This follows the Commission testing of a range of sunscreen products from four companies, after a complaint from the Cancer Society that the products could not offer “all day protection” as claimed.
That investigation concluded that some of the products did not meet the claims made, and therefore breached the Fair Trading Act.
Businesses must be sure facts and claims made about a product are true, and do not create a misleading impression. Making misleading claims can be in breach of the Fair Trading Act, which is punishable by fines of up to $60,000 for an individual and $200,000 per offence for a company.
Source: Commerce Commission, New Zealand