Ultra Violette recalls product due to inconsistent SPF results
The company has committed to testing every new product at a minimum of two different independent laboratories before launch, ensuring rigorous verification of SPF claims.
AUSTRALIA – Australian sunscreen brand Ultra Violette has announced a recall of its Lean Screen Mineral Mattifying SPF50+ sunscreen after tests revealed highly inconsistent sun protection levels.
Independent laboratory tests produced widely varying SPF results for the product, ranging from a low of 4 to a high of 64, despite the sunscreen being labelled as providing SPF 50+ protection.
This significant inconsistency has raised serious concerns about the product’s reliability in shielding users from harmful UV radiation and sunburn.
The recall followed a rigorous testing conducted by the consumer advocacy group CHOICE, which flagged Ultra Violette’s Lean Screen product as one of the worst performers.
CHOICE’s independent tests, conducted in accredited Australian and German laboratories, confirmed that the sunscreen consistently fell short of its claimed SPF protection.
Initially, Ultra Violette disputed the findings, suggesting that errors such as product mix-ups or issues during decanting might explain the low SPF results.
However, after multiple rounds of further independent testing showing the same inconsistent variability, the company decided to withdraw the product from the market immediately.
Ultra Violette has apologized to its customers, offering refunds and vouchers to those who purchased the Lean Screen sunscreen.
The company stated that the recall only affects this particular product batch, and it remains confident in the safety and efficacy of its other sunscreens.
The Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) is actively monitoring the situation and investigating the broader issue of sunscreen SPF testing reliability following this recall.
CHOICE CEO Ashley de Silva emphasised the importance of accurate SPF claims in a country with one of the highest skin cancer rates globally, calling on authorities to ensure greater oversight and transparency in sunscreen testing and labelling to protect public health.
This incident has sparked broader concerns about sunscreen regulation, the accuracy of SPF labelling, and the overall trust consumers can place in sunscreen products sold in Australia.
To rebuild consumer trust and enhance product assurance, Ultra Violette is now collaborating with a broader network of testing facilities that are BIPEA-audited and independently vetted, shifting away from the original testing laboratory used for the Lean Screen product.
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