“Not a luxury”: Lookfantastic campaigns to cut VAT on sun care products
THG’s e-tailer Lookfantastic has just launched a ‘What the SPF?!’ marketing campaign to celebrate Sun Awareness Week (6th - 12th May) and is offering its customers 20% off its core SPF face and body products for SPF30 and above.
The ecommerce retailer said that that sun care protection should be considered a daily skincare essential that is “exempt from taxation, rather than classified as a cosmetic product subject to a 20% tax rate.”
The saving will apply to a variety of brands, including Sol de Janeiro, Garnier, Supergoop, La Roche-Posay, Heliocare, Murad and CeraVe, from 9th May 2024 until the end of August.
Managing director at Lookfantastic Keely Gough said that sun protection is "not a luxury" and instead is "essential for healthy skin and wellbeing."
“By taking this significant step to support our customers, we hope to make our sun care range more accessible and affordable for everyone,” she said.
Melanoma: top five most diagnosed cancers in the UK
The online retailer shared that melanoma is currently in the top five most diagnosed cancers in the UK, with rates increasing by +32% over the past decade.
“According to national charity Melanoma Focus*, 86% of cases could have been prevented, further highlighting the importance of protecting our skin from the sun,” it said.
“Education surrounding SPF, skin health and skin cancer prevention has grown tremendously over the past few years with more and more consumers integrating SPF into their daily routine.”
The e-tailer also shared that it has seen demand for sun care rapidly rise in the UK market over the past year, with a +73% increase in searches for SPF in 2023.
Chief policy officer of the British Beauty Council, Victoria Brownlie, said: “Sun safety is a basic need and should be treated as such by Government, industry and the public alike.”
“Challenging misconceptions around the necessity for sun protection and its role in preventing cancer and reducing the burden on our health service is paramount,” she continued.
“However, making products accessible and most importantly affordable for all must also be a priority. The British Beauty Council therefore supports charity and industry wide calls for better education around sun safety and the reclassification of SPF30+ sunscreen as an essential rather than cosmetic product by HMRC, thereby removing VAT.”
