The owner of a US lab that tested sunscreen products sold in New Zealand has pleaded guilty to falsifying results.
Consumer NZ says test reports from the US company have been used by manufacturers to justify the SPF claims for sunscreens sold to New Zealand consumers (File image).
Photo: 123RF
Consumer NZ is urging manufacturers relying on reports from the company to urgently retest their products.
New York-based AMA Laboratories owner Gabriel Letizia Jr admitted defrauding customers and causing sunscreens to be marketed on the basis of false reports.
Consumer NZ chief executive Jon Duffy said test reports from the US company had been used by manufacturers to justify the SPF claims for sunscreens sold to New Zealand consumers.
Consumer NZ urges for sunscreens to be retested after falsified results by AMA Labs
11 May, 2021 01:30 AM
3 minutes to read
RNZ
Consumer NZ is urging manufacturers relying on reports from the company to urgently retest their products.
New York-based AMA Laboratories owner Gabriel Letizia Jr admitted defrauding customers and causing sunscreens to be marketed on the basis of false reports.
Consumer NZ chief executive Jon Duffy said test reports from the US company had been used by manufacturers to justify the SPF claims for sunscreens sold to New Zealand consumers.
Advertisement For many years, manufacturers sent us test reports from AMA Labs when our tests found their sunscreens weren t up to standard. Manufacturers continued to rely on AMA Labs results despite our tests showing products failed to meet their label claims, he said.
Tuesday, 27 April 2021, 11:39 am
Consumer NZ has requested the Commerce Commission
investigate sun protection claims for seven sunscreens. The
products failed to meet their SPF claims and three also
failed to meet their broad-spectrum claims in Consumer
NZ’s tests.
The seven products include Johnson &
Johnson’s Neutrogena Beach Defence Water + Sun Barrier
Lotion Sunscreen SPF50. In 2017, Johnson & Johnson New
Zealand signed court enforceable undertakings with the
commission that products sold in New Zealand would meet the
voluntary sunscreen standard. Consumer NZ alleges Johnson
& Johnson has failed to fulfil this
obligation.
Consumer NZ’s testing of Neutrogena
Beach Defence Water + Sun Barrier Lotion Sunscreen SPF50
Kevin Stent/Stuff
Consumer NZ is calling for an investigation after its testing found several sunscreens failed to live up to their sun protection claims. (File photo) “New Zealanders should be able to trust the sun protection claims on the sunscreens they buy, which is why we are holding these seven sunscreen companies to account,” Consumer NZ chief executive Jon Duffy said. “We believe consumers are being misled that these sunscreens provide higher protection than they do.” New Zealand has one of the highest rates of skin cancer and melanoma in the world, but there’s no requirement for sunscreen manufacturers to regularly test their products or even test them at all.
Business Scoop » Consumer NZ Lodges Complaint About SPF Claims For Seven Sunscreens scoop.co.nz - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from scoop.co.nz Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.