Suncream makers to block their label lies

The move follows concerns that the creams could be giving sunlovers a false sense of security.

The supposed protection they offer encourages many to believe they are safe spending more time in the sun.

But they could be putting themselves at risk of burns and even cancer.

Skin cancer rates in Britain have more than doubled in the past 20 years, with more than 75,000 new cases diagnosed last year.

The EU and manufacturers have agreed on a code to ensure more honest information on labels, effectively banning any claims suggesting total protection against the sun.

The phrases to be outlawed include '100 per cent protection', 'total protection' and the term 'sunblock'.

Nina Goad, a skin cancer expert from the British Association of Dermatologists, said: 'Removing terms like "100 per cent protection" will help dispel the myth that using sunscreen means you can lie out in the sun for hours without having to worry about skin damage.

No sunscreen offers total protection.'

"It is thought that just a couple of cases of sunburn as a child could as much as double your chance of getting skin cancer later in life."

A series of new industry standards will also ensure that manufacturers are clear about the protection they can offer against both types of harmful rays - UVB and UVA.

Sun protection factors currently listed on products generally refer to UVB exposure, which causes sunburn. However, there is no standard system of protection or rating for UVA, which is linked to aggressive skin cancer and ageing.

In future, there will be a standard UVA logo, and descriptions of protection will be labelled for both UVA and UVB rays as low, medium, high or very high.

This will appear alongside the usual SPF numbers, such as 15, 30 and 50.

A number of studies by medical and consumer groups have accused manufacturers of putting the public at risk with bogus claims about the protection offered by their creams.

The anti-cancer charity RAFT found most creams offered no protection against UVA if they were rubbed in, rather than left as a thick buttery film.

Separate research published by the consumer group Which? last year found many top-selling creams did not offer the protection listed on the label.

Those with a supposed SPF of 15 actually managed scores of 8.7, 6.9 and 6.3.

Britain's Trading Standards Institute has argued for new laws, backed by fines, to control the promotion and marketing of the creams.

EU Consumer Affairs Commissioner Meglena Kuneva said: "Consumers need clear, accurate information on sunscreen products.

"We need to reinforce the essential message that sunscreen is only one of a number of measures that are necessary for effective protection against the sun."

The voluntary labelling code is being phased in, with about 20 per cent of sunscreen bottles complying this summer.

The entire industry should fall into line by summer next year.