ASA Complaint About QVC and UltraSun

[donna255]

Someone on Facebook made a complaint about the way QVC kept insisting that Ultrasun was a once a day application for everyone.

The lady received a reply from the ASA.

This is the response i got from ASA regards my complaint about the advertising of Ultrasun on QVC:

Your complaint about QVC in association with Ultrasun UK Ltd

Thank you for contacting the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA).

We have now considered your complaint along with the advertiser’s response.

In your complaint you considered that the ad/presentation in question was misleading, because it claimed that the SPF only needed to be applied once a day, which was contrary to what the manufacturer advised in their own literature.

We approached QVC who established that that there was indeed, a conflict between their claim and those of the manufacturer’s. Both QVC and the manufacturer had a discussion to rectify the issue, and clarified that the SPF needs to be reapplied in “extreme conditions” i.e. exposure to water, exceeding “sun account” recommendations (time that can be spent in the sun according to one’s skin type). However, the ASA was informed that the manufacturer does not recommend consumers to exceed their “sun account”.
Following further discussions with QVC, they agreed that Ultrasun shows will now qualify the once a day application claim with the need to reapply in extreme circumstances. The guest presenter will also emphasise that an individual's "sun account" should not be exceeded.
Therefore, in light of the above the ASA is satisfied with the advertiser’s response.


Should be interesting when the guest is back on and what is said.

 

[Jabbathehut]

And there's a TSV approaching


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Tinkerbelle]

I saw a presentation with Mee-hall (sorry I cannot remember how to spell his name!) and he actually said something along the lines of "you may need to apply it more regularly than once a day so check the instructions". The Ultrasun bird had been saying once a day as usual. But she had to agree with him.

Perhaps that's why he said it but at the time I though "good for you". He was polite and friendly but got his point across.

 

[Loveinamist]

My sis and family have just come back from Lanzarote and the 50 factor for face was not strong enough for her family and she had to go to a local pharmacy and purchase factor 90. She was very disappointed. She is fastidious with skin care for herself and family and was stressed when redness appeared.

 

[Flamenco]

I've burnt almost every time I've used Utrasun. I have the Sports gel version and every time I have applied it, it rolls off my skin. I use Riemann's P20 and have never burnt using it or had the rolling bits problem. In fact, I seem to develop a lovely tan using it. That said, the other day I slapped some of Tesco's own brand SPF30 and didn't burn using that either, and it was much much cheaper that either P20 or Ultrasun.

 

[minim]

individual's "sun account" should not be exceeded

Brilliant cop out line.
Shame the rather pathetic qualification does not work.

 

[boffy]

i do think that the beauty department do oversell the products too much hype and misinformation. even i have fallen for it. in the case of suncare its purpose is more serious than say a lipstick that you dont like the colour or texture. good on this woman making a complaint hopefully the presenter will take note....

 

[Tinkerbelle]

Brilliant cop out line.
Shame the rather pathetic qualification does not work.

Quite. I've never understood how you're supposed to work out how long it takes before you burn. Unless you're supposed to sit there with a stopwatch and wait til you go as red as a beetroot!

I've erred on the side of caution but I still don't really know the answer. I'm dark skinned but it's dependent on the temperature and how tanned I already am it can vary. But I was told by a dermatologist to avoid anything over 30 and the implication was because it can lull you into a false sense of security. He felt it was better to use 30 and slap it on more regularly.

I just use whatever I can get my mitts on though.

 

[BurlyBeaR]

I'm really torn on this one. The instructions that come with the product make it very clear that even with the protection applied you only have so many hours of sun in your account per day.
Going into details on air about what this means for individuals with many different skin types, circumstances, parts of the world etc would be impractical.
Also, when the guest says "once a day" I take it to mean once a day during my usual amount of sun exposure. I DON'T take it to mean I can suddenly stay out all day in the sun when I couldn't before. In other words I do think we should expect a teeny bit of common sense to be applied by people buying it.

On the other hand, Mrs Hard Sell Cleaves Is too busy telling us how she virtually invented sunscreen single handedly that she doesn't even advise peopl to read the leaflet. Which is also wrong.

I'm sure here is a compromise in here somewhere.

 

[BurlyBeaR]

My sis and family have just come back from Lanzarote and the 50 factor for face was not strong enough for her family and she had to go to a local pharmacy and purchase factor 90. She was very disappointed. She is fastidious with skin care for herself and family and was stressed when redness appeared.

Rather begs the question of why she took the family to a destination which is 80 miles from Africa then.

Let's face it, given the hideous food, chavvy tourists and blavk volcanic lava beaches the only possible reason to go to lanzarote is to burn your tits off.

 

[Flamenco]

Rather begs the question of why she took the family to a destination which is 80 miles from Africa then.

Let's face it, given the hideous food, chavvy tourists and blavk volcanic lava beaches the only possible reason to go to lanzarote is to burn your tits off.

And to visit, ahem, the sand dunes? Or is that limited to Gran Canaria only?!

 

[Akimbo]

Anything that causes her to rein it in a bit works for me!

Jude xx

 

[madaunty]

I'm really torn on this one. The instructions that come with the product make it very clear that even with the protection applied you only have so many hours of sun in your account per day.
Going into details on air about what this means for individuals with many different skin types, circumstances, parts of the world etc would be impractical.
Also, when the guest says "once a day" I take it to mean once a day during my usual amount of sun exposure. I DON'T take it to mean I can suddenly stay out all day in the sun when I couldn't before. In other words I do think we should expect a teeny bit of common sense to be applied by people buying it.

On the other hand, Mrs Hard Sell Cleaves Is too busy telling us how she virtually invented sunscreen single handedly that she doesn't even advise peopl to read the leaflet. Which is also wrong.

I'm sure here is a compromise in here somewhere.

Regrettably, a quality lacking in many.......... who need baby sitting throughout life, hence compensation culture and "health and safety gone mad"

 

[boffy]

she also says that you dont have to reapply the waterproof lotion after swimming i wonder how true that it. being wet and in the sun with only a bathing suit would make you very suspect to sunburn. you can still sell stuff if you tell the truth just leave out the hype...

 

[minim]

The whole area of sunscreen protection is, at best misleading.

Ratings above SPF 30 are virtually meaningless as the increased protection is minimal.

A rating of 15 means 93 percent of UV rays are blocked
30 blocks about 97 percent of ultraviolet rays
anything higher than 30 remains in the 97 or 98 percent range.

In 1999 the Food and Drug Administration recommended that sunscreens with an SPF higher than 30 be labeled “30+,” mostly to prevent people from developing a false sense of security that might lead them to spend more time in the sun.

 

[miss molly]

I have been to turkey for 1 week then spain for 1 week recently. Used glimmer 20 and kept reapplying through the day. I burn easily but did not burn and have a lovely colour. I sit under shade when very hot ect and you can feel your skin needs a higher factor. I use factor 30 on my feet/face ect
Hubby used factor 20 sport, he tans very easily but looked very red at the start of the holiday. I told him too reapply but he is not as conscious/scared of burning as me. Once a day is not sufficient, god help anyone who is fair who lies in the sun thinking it will protect them. Abby in my opinion has been giving people incorrect information
It does need to go on clean/dry skin so you need to shower if you have aftersun on from the night before ect.

 

[Bauble]

Really its only people like builders, professional gardners, professional sportspeople etc who need to be out in the sun for hours and hours on end. No disrespect to your sister LIAM but why on earth did she and her family need factor 90 suncream? Why not retire to the shade and cover up with light loose clothing? You can still enjoy the beach and sea etc. I just feel these"day long" creams encourage people to stay in the sun all day long. Its not just burning you risk but sunstroke, dehydration and dessicated skin too. Im not some anti sun fanatic, I holiday in very hot countries and enjoy the lovely weather but cant beleive the message isnt getting home to so many people even those with young kids .

 

[boffy]

the way that ultrasun is sold though, is that because its at a very high price point, its far better than a superdrug or boots own brand stuff which along with all the other hype is very misleading. i cringe when she forgets she is selling tanning lotion, its a bit like keeley who if you ask about a product she tries to sell you 20 different items because they all work in synergy with the skin..... but not your purse...!

 

[sja307]

I always use Ultra Sun and I love it, I am fair skinned with freckles, and suffer from prickly heat, that can totally ruin your holiday. I am so glad I found it as I now wouldn't be without it.

 

[Starlight]

There was an article in the Daily Mail a few weeks back comparing expensive and cheaper sun creams and the 'expert dermatologist' reviewed the Ultrasun Sports High SPF 30 Clear Spray Formula giving it 3/5 and stating

Expert comment: Very expensive and I don’t like the fact they are calling it high SPF when it’s just 30. It will do the job, but there are cheaper options. 3/5

He also says Always choose suncreams with a five-star UVA rating and Ultrasun products just state 'high' for this but no star rating

So all in all it sounds as though Ultrasun is just a run-of-the-mill suncream that QVC is flogging to death and no doubt making loads of profit from - if it's so good why haven't they got the official Team GB Olympic license ? (Garnier Ambre Solaire have got it)

Mind you, I remember the days when they used to tell us that Riemann P20 was the best thing since sliced bread !:mysmilie_505: