In the UK, 59% of sun protection users report wearing sunscreen most days, showing it has become integrated into daily beauty/grooming regimens. There are opportunities to further promote this habit…
UK
Suncare
simple
UK Suncare Market Report 2025
"The suncare category has seen massive growth but can see further success by leaning into sensorial trends and meeting the unmet needs of select consumer groups."
Georgia Stafford, Beauty & Personal Care Analyst
Collapse All
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
What you need to know
The outlook for suncare
Opportunities
Elevate the user experience to boost usage frequencies
Reimagine scent profiles to encourage year-round application
Focus on specific skin types in NPD to engage a wider audience
THE MARKET
Snapshot – market size and forecast
Secure suncare against consumers’ financial pessimism
Graph 1: the financial wellbeing index, 2016-25
How to respond to demographic shifts
SPF testing changes could accelerate innovation
The impact of the preventative ageing trend
Changing weather will benefit the category and create new needs
Going beyond protection will be key to drive growth
Market size and forecast for suncare
Graph 2: market value forecast for suncare, 2019-30
Social media trends help the sun protection segment grow
Retailers can address consumer concerns around price and skin type suitability
K-Beauty could threaten legacy brands
Push own-label innovation further
Graph 3: share of retail value sales of sun protection and aftersun products, by brand, 2023-25
THE CONSUMER
The evolving needs of consumers
Despite innovation in added SPF products, sun protection is still the go-to
Limit adjacent categories’ impact on suncare sales
Prove long-wear claims for oily skin sun protection users
Encourage the adoption of stick formats
Creams and lotions drive overall usage, but lightweight formats benefit from more frequent usage
Ensuring adequate protection will increase purchase frequency
Graph 4: agreement with the statement “I wear sun protection products/products with added SPF most days”, by sun protection and aftersun formats used in the last 12 months, 2025
Bring bodycare innovation to the aftersun category
How to overcome usage barriers
Overcome the top barriers to sun protection usage
Dispel misconceptions about when sun protection is needed
Graph 5: respondents not using sun protection or not using it everyday and citing “I don’t spend enough time outdoors to need it” as the reason, 2025
Address social media misinformation
Ensure sun protection products’ suitability for all skintones
No-white-cast claims need proof
Graph 6: share of UK suncare launches containing white cast* in the product description, 2020-25
Show the importance of a hybrid approach with clothing collaborations
Prepare for a possible removal of VAT on suncare
Opportunities to drive spending
Skin type-specific formats can drive spending
Develop sensitive skin products
Engage sun protection users with fragrance
Tap into trending scent notes
Graph 7: top five scent note preferences, 2025
Beautifying claims blur the lines between categories
Use the language of cellular health
Explore innovative formats with caution
PRODUCT, INNOVATION AND MARKETING
Match sampling opportunities with moments consumers need sun protection
Meet the demand for own-label sun protection
Own-label innovation can help make sun protection a daily essential
Justify premium price points with novel technology
Retailers can position sun protection as a daily essential
Take note of emerging suncare formats
Graph 8: format/texture landscape for sun – sun/sunbed exposure, 2025
Explore novel suncare formats
Align suncare with consumer lifestyles
Prove inclusive claims with diverse advertising
APPENDIX
Market definition
The market
Forecast methodology
Forecast methodology – fan chart
Market size and forecast of suncare
Market forecast and prediction intervals
Market segmentation
Market share – sun protection and aftersun
Market share – sunless tanning
Channels to market
The consumer
Consumer research questions
Consumer research methodology
Repertoire analysis methodology
UK generation groups
Product, innovation and marketing
NPD in the sun protection segment, by top 10 claims
Graph 9: NPD in the sun protection segment, by top 10 claims (based on 2025), 2024-25*
NPD in the aftersun segment, by top 10 claims
Graph 10: NPD in the aftersun segment, by top 10 claims (based on 2025), 2024-25
NPD in the sun protection segment, by format
Graph 11: NPD in the sun protection segment, by format (based on 2025), 2024-25
NPD in the sun protection and aftersun segments, by brand type
Graph 12: NPD in the sun protection segment, by brand type, 2024-25
Graph 13: NPD in the aftersun segment, by brand type, 2024-25
NPD in the sun protection and aftersun segments, by beauty price positioning
Graph 14: NPD in the sun protection segment, by beauty price positioning, 2024-25
Graph 15: NPD in the aftersun segment, by beauty price positioning, 2024-25
Total above-the-line advertising expenditure on suncare
Other data source methodologies
Mintel Spark
Nielsen Ad Intel coverage
Abbreviations
UK Suncare Industry – Trends and Insights
In the UK, 59% of sun protection users report wearing sunscreen most days, showing it has become integrated into daily beauty/grooming regimens. There are opportunities to further promote this habit by proving the suitability of lightweight, no-white-cast formulas for consumers with oily skin and darker skintones.
The ISO’s new approval of faster, potentially more affordable, SPF testing can accelerate new product development timelines. This could see a speedier release of suncare market trends and more limited edition or seasonal launches. This could allow suncare brands to better engage with sensorial trends to offer new scents based on popular fragrance notes, driving interest in the category and benefitting value sales.
The sensorial BPC trend, referring to pleasant-to-use textures and appealing scents, holds a lot of potential for the suncare category. Consumers will be willing to spend on products that enhance their mood and make sun protection application more enjoyable.
Adjacent categories offering SPF in makeup, facial skincare and even clothing threaten the suncare category. Understanding, and emulating, what makes these brands successful can help sun protection sales remain in the suncare products market.
This Report Looks at the Following Areas:
The impact of the rising cost of living on purchase frequency and value demands
The potential future acceleration of NPD and line extensions enabled by new testing methods
The need for inclusive products and marketing strategies
The impact of the preventative ageing trend
How to combat misinformation with credible, evidence-led consumer education
The demand for sensorially appealing products
Report Attributes
Details
Published Date
December 2025
Report Author
Georgia Stafford, Beauty & Personal Care Analyst
Market Data
2019 – 2025
Market Forecast
2025 – 2030
Measurement Metrics
Market value in £
Market Segmentation
Sun protection and aftersun, Self-tan
Consumer Data
2,000 internet users aged 16+, September 2025
Leading Brands in the UK Suncare Market
NIVEA Sun, Garnier Ambre Solaire, Hawaiian Tropic, Riemann, Bondi Sands, Dove, St. Moritz
Instant delivery when paying by credit card, invoice orders may take longer
Save up to 20% when you purchase multiple reports
Save 10% when you purchase two reports together.
Save 15% when you purchase three reports together.
Save 20% when your purchase four or more together.
Discount automatically applied at checkout
Need help before you buy?
Our research specialists can answer your questions and recommend the reports that best match your business needs.
We’ve found it so useful working more closely with Mintel. They helped support our recent flagship event for our top suppliers by providing a really unique viewpoint on the future of online retailing.
Nick Carroll from their Retail Team was also an excellent panelist, sharing useful and actionable consumer insights. We definitely look forward to working with Mintel again on future projects.
Zac Steele, E-Commerce Trading Development Manager, Waitrose & Partners
There is no question that Mintel is the go-to resource for the best quality market research, but I did not think it was an affordable option for Abacus Marketing to consider. As a small marketing agency, we only work with a few new clients each year.
However, we have a very high-end consultative approach to our work, so we really do need a partner like Mintel to provide the big agency experience we are always aiming to deliver. Our clients come from an incredibly diverse range of industry sectors, so we obviously need access to market research reports from a very wide spectrum of marketplaces – and that is precisely what we got.
Stephen Taylor-Brown, Managing Director, Abacus
One of the biggest challenges we face is the need to get smart on a business or category real quick.
We are talking to clients who live and breathe their category every day and the expectation is that we will be able to get caught up very quickly, and bring the thinking that can help them.
We need to do that often in a matter of days, so it’s not a small ask. Mintel gives us a very articulate view of category conditions and does so at the speed we need it.
Jeff White, Business Development Director, Deutsch
We have such a great working relationship with Mintel on lots of different levels. As an insight partner, they have helped us to develop our business planning in specific categories as well as supporting our creative process but they’ve also been super helpful with facilitating our events in their inspirational offices near St Paul’s.
They’re an innovative company, with a client-focused team that always delivers.
Abby Carvosso, Group Managing Director, Bauer Media Group
We use Mintel to inform our thinking and reinforce strategy. If you’re presenting new ideas, it’s essential they are underpinned by robust data and evidence, and clearly rooted in fact.
Mintel gives us all that. It’s a great brand and one that is trusted by clients.
Marie Stafford, European Director, The Innovation Group, VML
Need help before you buy?
Our research specialists can answer your questions and recommend the reports that best match your business needs.