Milton Keynes mum sparks social media backlash after post complaining daughter suffered sunburn using Asda factor 50 cream

A Milton Keynes mum has sparked a social media backlash against supermarket giant Asda after complaining children have suffered sunburn after using a brand of its Factor 50 cream.
AsdaAsda
Asda

Karen Trett shared photos of her daughters’ red skin after they were burnt on their first day of a holiday to Majorca.

She told our sister title the i that she bought the a bottle of Protect Kids Sun Spray SPF 50 just a week before.

The 41-year-old, from Milton Keynes, says since she posted the images last week, 10 mothers have been in touch with her to say their children have been burnt after using the product.

The suncream in question and the burnsThe suncream in question and the burns
The suncream in question and the burns

Her post has been shared nearly 32,800 times and our colleagues at the i discovered posts online from two others who report having had a similar experience.

Ms Trett said she followed the instructions correctly on the bottle during the holiday on June 9 and was “very careful” about regularly reapplying the cream on the girls.

“I reapplied it at least every two hours and each and every time they went into the pool, even though it says on the label that it’s water resistant,” she said.

“I’m disgusted, you don’t expect this from a factor 50 product that has five stars. The girls were in a lot of pain for a few days and the sunburn, being on their backs, made it very difficult for them to sleep. It kind of put a downer on the holiday as I had to keep them covered up in t-shirts and out of the pool afterwards.

“When your child gets burnt you worry about their risk of sun cancer in the future too.

“I went into the Asda store in Milton Keynes where I bought it and they said there wasn’t much they could do, they said they couldn’t test it because I had thrown away the bottle. I’m sharing the post and urging other people who’ve had the same experience to take their suncream into Asda.”

A spokesperson for Asda said: “All Asda sun cream is independently tested to the highest industry standards and is labelled with clear usage guidelines, which are especially important to follow in this hot weather.

“We are confident in the quality of our sun cream and are running the necessary checks on the sun lotion that Ms Hadley returned so that we can fully address her concerns. After seeing Ms Trett’s post on Facebook we’re also trying to get in touch with her so we can understand more about her experience.”

The sun cream has not been recalled, he added, although it is no longer available on Asda’s website.

It comes after a Channel 5 investigation found that cheap own-brand sunscreens meet NHS guidelines on sun protection while more expensive brands are falling short.

The team found in their tests that sunscreens from Morrisons, Boots and Asda provided better sun protection than brands like Nivea and Ambre Solaire. The NHS recommends we only use sunscreens with an SPF (sun protection factor) of at least 15 to protect against UVB and a UVA star rating of four or five.

It also recommends not to rely on sunscreen alone to protect yourself from the sun, and advises wearing suitable clothing and spending time in the shade when the sun’s at its hottest. Sunscreen needs to be reapplied liberally and frequently, and to all exposed skin, including the face, neck, ears and head for people with no hair.

This includes applying it straight after you’ve been in water – even if it’s “water resistant” – and after towel drying, sweating, or when it may have rubbed off. It’s important to make sure the sunscreen is not past its expiry date. Most sunscreens have a shelf life of two to three years.

READ MORE: