A test carried out by a Danish organisation has raised concerns about sunscreens sold through Chinese online shops. HS reported that only one of the ten products examined matched the promises on its label, and one cream marketed as SPF 50 turned out to offer protection equivalent to SPF 2.

The findings matter because people rely on sunscreen labels when deciding how to protect themselves from the sun. If the stated protection level is inaccurate, users may be exposed to sunburn and other harm at the very moment they believe they are covered.

According to HS, the results point to a broader question about quality control in products sold online. The Danish organisation’s test suggests that cosmetics bought from unfamiliar web shops may not always deliver the protection advertised on the package.