Sunscreen prices cover a wide range. Photo: Louise Ternouth / RNZ
With one of the highest skin cancer rates in the world and skin cancer the most common cancer in New Zealand, there is no doubt Kiwis know it is vital to slip, slop, slap and wrap.
According to Melanoma New Zealand the average sized adult needs about nine teaspoons of sunblock per application - one teaspoon per arm, two teaspoons for each leg, one teaspoon for your neck, face and ears and two teaspoons for your torso.
But many say the price of being sun smart is far too expensive.
In Mission Bay in Auckland, many beachgoers were soaking up the sun on Friday. Checkpoint asked them whether they were meeting those guidelines and how much sunscreen they go through.
"For a day I use a third of one of these... this is my office, so I come here every day that the sun's out, so in January I was here about 28 days," said one beachgoer, holding a 175g aerosol spray of Banana Boat SPF 50+.
One woman told RNZ she was very vigilant with her sunscreen application.
"I have to buy it a lot because I had melanoma in my face, so yeah, I buy it all the time to put it on every two hours at least."
Another man said his family of three went through a lot of sunscreen.
"We've been through about five of these this summer, the three of us."
But one man sitting in the shade said he preferred to cover up, so did not use nine teaspoons of sunscreen.
"Nowhere near it... when I'm doing boogie-boarding, I'll have a rash suit on or a rash top so no, I don't have to put it on the body - it's just my face really, because I don't want to get a cancerous nose."
The price of being sun smart does not come cheap.
"It costs me an arm and a leg," said one man.
A couple at Mission Bay visiting from the UK told RNZ sunscreen was more expensive in New Zealand.
"I think sunblock is pretty pricey especially for us and our age, but it's so essential to put it on," said one woman.
Another beachgoer said their sunblock was organic, so they did not mind paying more for it.
Checkpoint tallied up the cost of sunscreen for a family of four who had two beach days a week. If each person needed nine teaspoons of sunblock a family of four would need 176ml for just one beach day - that is without reapplying.
A beachgoer at Mission Bay, who says he's at the beach every day it's sunny and goes through a third of a 175g sunscreen aerosol each time. Photo: Louise Ternouth / RNZ
RNZ went shopping to find out how far sunscreen on the shelves could get us.
First up from Countdown, Woolworths Sunscreen Every Tube 50+ 100ml was $7. For a family of four for two beach days they would need about four tubes, which is $28.
Next up was Neutrogena Beach Defence Sunscreen Lotion SPF50 198ml for $18.79. For two beach days a family would need about two bottles, which is $37.
At Chemist Warehouse, Nivea Moisturising Sunscreen Lotion SPF50 was $19. For two of these, that was $38.
Last on the list was Cancer Society Everyday Protection Sunscreen Lotion SPF50 400ml at $20.99 - this would last a family two beach days a week.
Many people told RNZ they want to see prices become more affordable.
"I'm fortunate that it's not quite the issue for me, but there would be some people who wouldn't get it at all and they will pay the price later on in life, unfortunately."
One woman said sunscreen should be subsidised.
"Yeah, definitely could save more money in the end wouldn't you, with your healthcare."
Another said sunscreen should be provided: "In some countries there is some like, for free at the beaches, so that would be a great idea, I think."
"I think that's something that the government could do, really be happy to pay for that my tax," said another beachgoer.
Take off GST?
New Zealand skincare brand Raaie has launched a petition asking the government to remove GST from SPF products in New Zealand, something Australia has already done.
Melanoma kills more than 300 New Zealanders a year, and according to one forecast by 2025 skin cancers will cost the New Zealand health system around $300 million a year.
Raaie founder Katey Mandy said sunscreen was the "one thing that is scientifically proven to prevent melanoma".
"We are really keen to be able to get more people using it," she told Checkpoint on Friday. "It would decrease the price by 15 percent across the board. And I think if we look to Australia - and look, we do not like to follow their lead, but in this case, they are actually correct. They have taken the GST off sunscreen, and there has been quite a drop in the cases of melanoma.
"So, you know, obviously, if sunscreen is more accessible, more people are going to use it and at the moment it is expensive, and it is a barrier to people purchasing it."
Raaie's Sun Milk Drops sunscreen normally sells for $115 for 45ml. Mandy said they have decided to absorb the GST, and sell it for $100. But it was not just a sunscreen - it was also a beauty product. Mandy did not think this should matter.
"We think all sunscreen should be available. People are still buying our products just for that SPF 50. That is the primary purpose of it… We just think it should all be GST-free."
She said the company's research had found cost was definitely a barrier to wearing sunscreen for some people.
"Kiwis are finding sunscreen to be expensive, and they go over to Australia and actually find that it is cheaper. It is definitely something that we are hearing from people out there."
The company is aiming for 50,000 signatures on its petition.
