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Review
. 2020 Feb;42(1):1-4.
doi: 10.1111/ics.12573. Epub 2020 Jan 6.

Sunscreen claims, risk management and consumer confidence

B Diffey  1
Affiliations
Review

Sunscreen claims, risk management and consumer confidence

B Diffey. Int J Cosmet Sci. 2020 Feb.

Abstract
in English, French

This essay is a personal reflection on how the concept of risk is impacting on the development of sunscreen products and claims, and whether these developments are jeopardizing consumer confidence. In order to estimate the risk of harm, we need not only to identify a hazard but, as importantly, determine the degree of exposure to the hazard and understand the health of impact of consequent exposure. A practice by many manufacturers is simply to market a product that claims to be protective against a hazard with little, or no, regard to exposure or consequence. The inherent danger with this approach is to undermine trust in product efficacy and in so doing to put at risk consumer confidence in both product and manufacturer. An example of this approach using infrared radiation as the hazard will be discussed.

Cet essai est une réflexion personnelle sur la façon dont le concept de risque influe sur le développement de produits solaires adaptés et leurs allégations, et si ces développements compromettent la confiance des consommateurs. Afin d’estimer le risque de préjudice, nous avons besoin non seulement d’identifier un risque mais, et c’est tout aussi important, de déterminer le degré de l’exposition au risque et de comprendre l’impact sur la santé d’une exposition conséquente. La pratique de nombreux fabricants consiste simplement à commercialiser un produit qui prétend avoir un effet protecteur contre un danger, avec peu ou aucun égard vis-à-vis de l’exposition ou des conséquences. Le risque inhérent à cette approche est de compromettre la confiance dans l’efficacité des produits et ce faisant, de mettre en péril la confiance des consommateurs envers les produits et les fabricants. Un exemple de cette approche utilisant les rayons infrarouges comme risque fera l’objet de la discussion.

Keywords: claim substantiation; risk; sunscreen; trust.

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References

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