Skin cancer rates in the UK are at a record high—so why are we still paying VAT on sun cream?

Here at Marie Claire UK, we're always harping on about the importance of applying sun cream. You see, over the past 20 or so years, cases of melanoma (one of the most common forms of skin cancer) in the UK have increased by 140%—a number which could be reduced in the future with widespread, regular and proper sun cream usage. So why are we still paying 20% tax on sun creams, when other healthcare products are considered exempt?

"Skin cancer is caused primarily by DNA damage from UV light exposure from the sun or sunbeds. UV radiation can cause mutations or changes in the DNA sequence of skin cells, resulting in the cells growing and dividing uncontrollably, eventually forming a tumour which can be fatal. As UV light exposure causes cell damage and death within the skin, the immune system recognises this damage and is activated resulting in an inflammatory response, which is sunburn," reveals Dr Thomas Tull, Consultant Dermatologist at the Cadogan Clinic.

So, it should be needless to say that sun cream application is very important if we want to prevent burning and, therefore, our risk of developing skin cancer. But the truth is, hardly anyone uses it. In fact, a study by Melanoma Focus revealed that only 11% of adults admit to always wearing sun cream in the UK. And it begs the question, why?

Well, as a beauty editor I can tell you it mainly comes down to one thing—people don't want to spend money on a product they don't like using. You see, historically sun creams have been thick, tacky products that are generally unpleasant to use. However, as time has moved on, so too have sun cream formulas. Nowadays you can find facial sunscreens which, quite literally, feel like nothing on the skin. In fact, sun cream formulas have got so good that it's the only skincare product I really feel the need to apply to my face in the morning.

So why aren't people buying these products instead? Well, frankly, they're too expensive—and that's partly because, believe it or not, we're still being charged VAT on them. And I'm not talking about the reduced 5% band of VAT which is typically applied to products, such as fuels and children's car seats, which are deemed to sit towards the 'necessity' end of the UK government's sliding scale of luxury goods. I'm talking a full 20% VAT on all sun creams—making them significantly more expensive than they arguably should be.

Susanne Daniels, CEO of Melnoma Focus says, "Melanoma skin cancer is an extremely serious and largely preventable cancer, hence why skin protection should be taken seriously."

And the good news is, some brands and retailers are waking up to the sad reality that sun cream shouldn't be subject to a 20% tax—so much so that a select handful of them are taking a stand to do something about it. This summer, SPF brand, Hello Sunday, announced they would be swallowing the cost of VAT for the month of August in order to reduce their pricing during high summer. 

Amy Ford, Founder of Hello Sunday says, “As a brand we are really passionate about everyday SPF given that 90% of sun damage happens in everyday life, not just on holiday, but we know that price can often be a barrier to usage. Across the summer we are reducing our pricing and paying the VAT across the Hello Sunday range, as part of our mission to make SPF more affordable and to generate awareness and conversation for positive change”.

And it's not just Hello Sunday committing to make change, supermarket giant Tesco has also been outspoken about its view on the VAT applied to sun cream. In fact, Tesco has reduced the price its Soleil sun cream products by 20% since 2021 in a bid to take a stand. Alessandra Bellini, Chief Customer Officer at Tesco says, “At Tesco, we believe sun protection is essential, and know that the cost of using it can add up. With the current squeeze on household budgets, money may be tighter than ever for many families. We believe the safety of the nation’s skin should not be treated as a luxury, which is why we are helping customers save on the sun protection products in our Tesco Soleil range.”

And it's moves like these from retailers and brands which have helped put this conversation on the agenda in parliament. Several MPs, including SNP's Amy Callaghan and the Conservative's Maggie Throup, have raised the motion of scrapping VAT on sun creams in parliament—but sadly, so far, to no avail. Callaghan recently said that removing the tax would be "an important step to demonstrate the UK Parliament’s commitment to sun safety and send a clear message to the public about the importance of sunscreen".

With countries such as Australia and the USA already making sun creams exempt from VAT-equivalent taxes, it seems wrong that, here in the UK, so many people are left feeling priced out of a product which could, ultimately, help save lives.