British SPF brand Hello Sunday has announced that it is one of the founding brand partners of the British Beauty Council’s UV Safety Initiative, which coincides as the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Beauty & Wellbeing officially launches its first inquiry into UV safety in parliament.  

The UV Safety Initiative is a new coalition of retailers, beauty leaders and change-makers which are united to drive awareness around the risks of UV exposure and improve access to sun protection.

The campaign also aims to deliver clear, credible education to consumers, as well as provide vital evidence to the government via the first inquiry into UV safety which is set to investigate and make recommendations to industry and government.  

In addition to Hello Sunday and the British Beauty Council, the initiative is also backed by LookFantastic, Debenhams, Face The Future, BYOMA, L’Oréal Groupe and more.  

Ahead of the parliamentary inquiry, Hello Sunday has introduced permanent “VAT-free” SPF skincare bundles on the Hello Sunday website, making high-quality sun protection more accessible to everyone. 

Millie Kendall OBE, CEO of the British Beauty Council, says: “Brands and businesses across the beauty industry have long been doing great work when it comes to increasing UV safety and access to SPF. However, we can only drive real change when we collaborate to achieve a shared vision.”

“The Council is thrilled to have support from this initial group of leading retailers and brands and is excited to accelerate cross-industry participation over the coming years,” comments Kendall.

The announcement follows 2024 research by Melanoma Focus suggests that applying a zero-rate VAT on SPF 30+ sunscreens in the UK could save the NHS over £128 million annually in treatment costs. The report also highlights that 86% of melanoma cases are preventable so daily use of SPF represents a simple but powerful public health measure.