Superdrug has announced that a new move will help consumers save £1m on sun protection, after it decided to remove 20% (the equivalent of VAT) from its Solait own brand suncare range.
The 20% saving on products means families will be able to protect both adults and children with SPF50 for just over £6, with the Solait Sun Cream SPF50 (200ml) reduced to £3.59 and the Solait kid’s roll-on sun cream SPF50+ (75ml) reduced to £2.79.
The retailer is reducing the price of its suncare range for a second year, after continued rising pressure on the government to remove the VAT on all suncare. The brand believes the category should be deemed a healthcare essential and not a beauty product.
Jamie Archer, Superdrug’s Own Brand Director, said: “As a leading accessible health and beauty retailer, we believe that everyone should have access to the products that protect their health and wellbeing and at an affordable price. Therefore we are proud to be able support our customers by removing 20% from our suncare range for a second year.”
“Sunscreen is currently classed as a cosmetic product and therefore carries the VAT associated with it, making it unaffordable for some people, so we are pleased to continue our commitment to our shoppers by making the category more accessible. Through our work with Beauty Banks we know that requests for donations of sun care products have risen, with some people even having to forego it altogether, which is concerning to hear. We hope that by reducing the price of our Solait range we can help make sun protection more affordable and allow families to stay safe in the sun.”
NAM Implications:
- A VAT pointer for all (including the government).
- And a competitive advantage until rivals follow suit.
