Coles SPF 50+ Sunscreen Ultra Tube: What CHOICE Measured
Last updated September 13, 2026
CHOICE measured SPF 43 against a label of SPF 50+ in June 2025; CHOICE published a Coles lab response saying the formulations are independently tested to the Australian/New Zealand Standard.
Coles' own-brand SPF 50+ Sunscreen Ultra Tube was one of 20 sunscreens CHOICE bought off Australian shelves and had tested on a ten-person panel. It came back at SPF 43 — above the SPF 30 the TGA describes as high protection, and below the claim printed on the tube. CHOICE published a response from the manufacturer alongside the result.
What was tested
CHOICE measured SPF 43, 12 June 2025
CHOICE measured SPF 43 against a label of SPF 50+. In the body's own words:
Coles SPF 50+ Sunscreen Ultra Tube – tested at 43
Method, as CHOICE states it: AS/NZS 2604:2021, incorporating ISO 24444 (in vivo SPF) and ISO 24443 (in vitro UVA); a 10-person panel under a solar simulator, run at Eurofins Dermatest in Sydney.
What the brand said
CHOICE printed a "Coles' lab response" among the manufacturer responses at the end of its article. It answers on the testing programme rather than on the measured figure, and adds that the manufacturer has asked CHOICE for its test report and methodology so the claims can be investigated further.
The manufacturer advises all of their sunscreen formulations have been independently laboratory tested in accordance with the appropriate Australian/New Zealand Standard to ensure they meet their labelled SPF, broad spectrum and water-resistance claims.
What happened next
Market status: no change has been published by any source cited here. Statuses in this story moved repeatedly between 2025 and 2026, so check the regulator before assuming a product is still on sale.
Alternatives that passed
CHOICE reported that four of the 20 sunscreens it tested returned a measured SPF at or above the claim on the label. Two of the four cleared the claim with margin: La Roche-Posay Anthelios Wet Skin SPF 50+, measured at 72, Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Body Lotion SPF 50, measured at 56.
Frequently Asked Questions
Did Coles respond to the CHOICE result?
Yes. CHOICE published a "Coles' lab response" in the manufacturer responses at the end of its article, saying the manufacturer advises all of their sunscreen formulations have been independently laboratory tested in accordance with the appropriate Australian/New Zealand Standard, and that they have requested CHOICE's test report and methodology.
Does a measured SPF 43 mean the sunscreen does not work?
No, and the regulator said so directly. The TGA's position is that SPFs in the range of 30 to 59 provide high protection and that products with an SPF of 30 are effective to use. A measured 43 against a 50+ claim is a label-claim shortfall, not a product that does nothing.
SPF List did not test this product. The results on this page were published by the named test body or regulator; quotes and links go to the original publication. Brand responses and later developments are listed where they were published. Formulations change; a result applies to the batch and date tested.