Sunscreen market heats up, but tests needed

RISE OF SOCIAL MEDIA, GROWING TRIBE OF ONLINE SKIN CARE INFLUENCERS HAVE EXPANDED THE MARKET

- Shuchi Bansal

The spat last month between India's largest FMCG company Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) and online-first beauty and personal care firm Honasa Consumer (parent company of The Derma Co. and Mamaearth) over an advertisement for Lakme sunscreen, brought to light the absence of standardized, mandatory testing methods for a prominent category growing at a scorching pace.

In April, HUL's Lakme resorted to comparative advertising with Honasa's Derma Co. sunscreen—although an implied comparison since it did not directly name the competitor brand. The ad showed Lakme sunscreen alongside an unnamed sunscreen identified as "online best seller" which it said claims to be SPF 50 while delivering SPF 20. Since the packaging resembled Derma Co. sunscreen pack, Honasa went to court for the disparaging ad. Though the sparring companies eventually reached a settlement, the row spotlighted the poor regulation of sunscreen testing methods in the country.

Sunscreens are suddenly a category of interest. "Up until 5 years ago, the sunscreen market was sleepy, and sold mostly offline by Lakme and Lotus. Today, more than 30 legacy and new-age brands fight for a slice of the Rs 3,000 crore market growing at 30% a year," said Anurag Kedia, co-founder of Pilgrim, a digital-first beauty brand which offers a range of sunscreens.