When a Cancer Charity's Sunscreen Gets Flagged: The CHOICE Dispute
Even a cancer-prevention charity's sunscreen got flagged in 2025, and the dispute that followed reveals why two labs can disagree, and why behavior beats the bottle.
In CHOICE's June 2025 test, Cancer Council Ultra Sunscreen SPF 50+ returned only SPF 24, yet Cancer Council Kids SPF 50+ passed at SPF 52; several brands disputed CHOICE's findings by producing their own certificates, exposing how two labs using the same method can disagree.
The TGA's follow-up acknowledged that SPF testing involves real measurement uncertainty, noting that competing certificates from different labs do not automatically prove either side wrong, which is why it opened its own review rather than siding instantly with one result.
Questions we get a lot
Why did two versions of the same brand's sunscreen score so differently?
Different products from one brand can have different formulations, so it's plausible for a Kids version to pass at SPF 52 while another scores SPF 24. SPF testing also carries measurement uncertainty, so a single result is not a final verdict. The TGA's follow-up emphasized this variability and launched its own review rather than treating one test as definitive.
If labs disagree, how should I protect my skin?
Because no single SPF reading is guaranteed, lean on behaviors that don't depend on the exact number: seek shade in peak sun, wear protective clothing and a hat, and reapply sunscreen generously every two hours. CHOICE's findings show even reputable products can fall short on one test. Layered sun-safe habits make your protection more resilient.
r/SkincareAddiction: 'If even the Cancer Council's own sunscreen can fail one lab's test, what am I supposed to actually trust?'