Online sunscreen purchases: Impact of product characteristics and marketing claims

Prado, Giselle; Ederle, Ashley; Shahriari, Shawhin; Svoboda, Ryan M; Farberg, Aaron S.; Rigel, Darrell S.

doi:10.1111/phpp.12480

Cited by 8 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 14 publications

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“…This has shown that there are product claims which are not regulated by the Food & Drug Administration (such as "non-greasy") in 57.3% of the sunscreen products they examined. 20 In concordance with the results of our study, this indicates that worldwide online marketing is not tightly regulated, despite the significantly better rates of marketing compliance by the USA in our data.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 92%

“…A recent American study by Prado et al have explored the factors influencing online sunscreen purchases by assessing labelling claims on the 100 best‐selling sunscreens in August 2018. This has shown that there are product claims which are not regulated by the Food & Drug Administration (such as “non‐greasy”) in 57.3% of the sunscreen products they examined 20 . In concordance with the results of our study, this indicates that worldwide online marketing is not tightly regulated, despite the significantly better rates of marketing compliance by the USA in our data.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 89%

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Perils & pearls of purchasing sun protection over the internet: A google project

Tong

Phan

Smith

2021

Photoderm Photoimm Photomed

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Background/Purpose: Sunscreen use has been shown to reduce the incidence of skin cancers. Internet purchasing allows access to internationally sourced sunscreens, despite varying accepted active ingredients and regulations around the world.Aims/Objectives: To determine the compliance of international sunscreen products advertised on the internet with the current Australian sunscreen standard (AS/NZS 2604:2012).Materials and Methods: Six sunscreen-related search queries were executed on Google between January-November 2018. Qualitative analysis of the search results to determine compliance with the current Australian sunscreen standard (AS/ NZS 2604:2012) was performed by collecting descriptive data, including listed active ingredients of each advertised product. These were compared against the AS/ NZS 2604:2012 list of permitted active ingredients. The compliance status of each product, and reasons for non-compliance were annotated. A multiple regression contingency table test was performed to determine whether compliance was associated with the products' country of origin, and a post hoc analysis was performed to identify countries with significant differences in discrepancy in compliance rate.Results: Execution of the sunscreen-related search queries on Google generated 1350 results. Only 613 of the 1291 (47.5%) included products were compliant with the AS/NZS 2604:2012 permitted sunscreen active ingredients. 552 of 1291 products were non-compliant due to insufficient information advertised. Australia, India and South Korea had significantly lower than expected compliance rates.Conclusions: Online marketing of sunscreen products from other countries has a significantly lower than expected compliance rate with the AS/NZS 2604:2012 permitted sunscreen active ingredients, with many lacking the disclosure of the active ingredients. Advertising regulations for online suppliers need to be tightened to ensure that online consumers purchasing sunscreen products can make informed decisions, as the international E-commerce market rapidly expands.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 92%

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 89%

Perils & pearls of purchasing sun protection over the internet: A google project

Tong

Phan

Smith

2021

Photoderm Photoimm Photomed

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“…Only a limited number of published studies explore sunscreen user preferences, primarily examining online retail sales. Prado, Ederle, et al (2019) looked at the top 100 best‐selling sunscreens on http://Amazon.com and found that a high number of total reviews and the presence of six or more unregulated marketing claims (e.g., “non‐greasy” or “fragrance‐free”) were the only factors correlated with higher online sales. Xu et al (2016) analyzed product reviews of top‐rated sunscreens on http://Amazon.com to determine what factors were most frequently mentioned as positive or negative features of the sunscreens.…”

Section: Considerations Relating To the Use Of Sunscreen Ingredient B...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Reducing the prevalence of chemical UV filters from sunscreen in aquatic environments: Regulatory, public awareness, and other considerations

Levine

2021

Integr Envir Assess & Manag

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Given increasing concerns about the persistence and toxic effects of some sunscreen ingredients in aquatic ecosystems, several states, territories, and nations have banned the sale and/or possession of sunscreens containing chemicals of concern. Little is known, however, about the outcomes or effectiveness of these efforts to reduce the prevalence of toxic chemicals in coastal waters. This article reviews the state of knowledge relating to regulatory and other efforts to reduce the impact of chemical ingredients in sunscreens on aquatic ecosystems, focusing on the following questions: To what extent will local legislative restrictions on ingredients actually reduce the concentrations of chemicals in coastal waters and protect aquatic health? Do these legislative measures effectively decrease overall public use of sunscreens containing potentially harmful ingredients, or would other measures, such as local outreach programs, consumer education, or broad‐scale ingredient regulation, be more effective? How might restrictions on chemical UV filters impact human health? Although it is still early to assess the outcomes of recent ingredient bans, their effectiveness is limited by the fact that legislation generally applies only to sunscreens sold within the legislating jurisdiction. Public awareness campaigns can be locally effective, but they are hindered by the absence of clear environmental labeling standards for sunscreen. Although retail and industry groups, and many dermatologists, cite concerns that sunscreen ingredient bans might lead to increased incidences of skin cancer, consumer preferences are influenced by a wide range of factors and no studies clearly document whether restrictions on chemical ingredients will cause people to use sun protection less frequently or less effectively. Until more information is available, many consider it prudent to take a precautionary approach to sunscreen regulation supported by broad‐scale, consistent regulatory policies and labeling standards that limit chemical ingredients to those considered safe for human use and ecosystem health. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2021;17:982–988. © 2021 SETAC

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“…The law prohibits sales of “chemical sunscreen” products that include these two UV filters in the state, but these products can be brought in when traveling or purchased online [ 6 ]. While there are numerous available UV filters [ 10 ], oxybenzone is one of the few filters that blocks most UVA (ultraviolet A) and UVB (ultraviolet B) radiation, and it is used in products that consumers tend to rate most highly [ 11 , 12 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Development of a Survey of Sunscreen Use and Attitudes among Adults in Two Coastal States, 2019

Glanz

Kwong

Avelis

et al. 2022

IJERPH

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Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States, and regular use of broad-spectrum sunscreens can prevent skin cancer. However, a new law in Hawaii that limits sunscreen choices due to the belief that some UV (ultraviolet) filters may damage coral reefs may reduce sunscreen use and increase skin-cancer risk. Because of this, there is a need for measurement tools to help understand consumer behavior and determinants of sunscreen purchase and use. The objectives of this study were (1) to test new questionnaire measures relevant to the Hawaii Sunscreen Ban; and (2) to assess adults’ knowledge, attitudes, and habits related to sunscreen in two other coastal states. This survey of adult residents of California and Florida was conducted in the summer of 2019. Newly developed scales addressed beliefs about effects of sunscreens on aquatic/marine environments and awareness of the Hawaii sunscreen ban. Respondents completed the survey twice to evaluate the test–retest reliability. Respondents (n = 162) were mainly female, White, and college-educated. New scales had moderate-to-high internal consistency and high test–retest reliability. Sunscreen use was high, sunburn was common, and knowledge and attitudes about sunscreen were modest. Most respondents did not know the specifics of the Hawaii Sunscreen Ban. In multivariate models, significant predictors of sunscreen use were being older, female, and having higher sunscreen knowledge. Sunscreen beliefs were not significantly associated with sunscreen use or sunburn. The findings support the use of the newly developed survey and suggest that more education about sunscreen and sunscreen ingredients is needed.

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Online sunscreen purchases: Impact of product characteristics and marketing claims

Cited by 8 publications

References 14 publications

Perils & pearls of purchasing sun protection over the internet: A google project

Perils & pearls of purchasing sun protection over the internet: A google project

Reducing the prevalence of chemical UV filters from sunscreen in aquatic environments: Regulatory, public awareness, and other considerations

Development of a Survey of Sunscreen Use and Attitudes among Adults in Two Coastal States, 2019

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