The website purchased ten sunscreens priced between €1.55 and €6.65 from three platforms: Temu, AliExpress, and Shein , and tested them in its laboratory. The results were disastrous. Three sunscreens failed the first stage of testing because they contained a banned ingredient . “This is an endocrine disruptor that interacts with both the thyroid system and estrogen ,” noted UFC-Que Choisir . Six other products misrepresented the SPF ( Sun Protection Factor) displayed on the packaging, while four of them offered no protection at all . “Our laboratory measured a ridiculously low SPF of 2, or even less! This is unprecedented since we began testing sunscreens ,” the consumer association stated. One product had the correct SPF but contained a “harmful ingredient” in its formula.
Sunscreen testing: platforms respond
The consumer association UFC-Que Choisir revealed that it had contacted the platforms to share its findings. As the association reports, “Temu and Shein assured us that they were taking additional measures. The former by temporarily suspending the sale of all sun care products in the European Union, […] the latter by stating that it was conducting a full audit of the site . “
