Major sunscreen shakeup? WHO listing could transform prices and regulations

The personal care industry is preparing for heightened demand for sunscreen, as it transitions from a cosmetic product to a preventive health essential that governments may begin to purchase directly. However, to guarantee accessibility for price-vulnerable communities, the World Health Organization (WHO) stresses that regulatory reform is necessary.

The shift follows the WHO’s designation of sunscreen as an essential medicine in September, officially recognizing it as a necessary tool for global health.

Manufacturers are expected to face new requirements around affordability, as the WHO tells Personal Care Insights it intends for the listing to make high-SPF protection accessible to vulnerable populations, and affirms that slashing prices for end-consumers is a part of that reform.

“This recognition is expected to drive sustained demand for high-performing UV filters globally, as health authorities and consumers increasingly prioritize effective sun protection,” Dr Boris Gaspar, head of market development Personal Care, EMEA, at BASF, tells us.

“We anticipate that the listing will encourage governments and health systems to integrate sunscreens into preventive health programs.”

The WHO and BASF tell us that governments are expected to begin reviewing sunscreen procurement pathways. This could create pressure for clearer UV-filter rules and more consistent regulatory frameworks. The WHO also says it is working to find one sunscreen formula to list as a “preferred formulation,” to further standardize the product.

The prospect of a regulatory reform that would make sun care more accessible follows a summer marked by numerous sunscreen controversies. Multiple recalls fueled safety concerns, and consumers challenged the processes verifying UV-efficacy.

Against this backdrop, consistent regulatory frameworks would help stabilize a category under mounting scrutiny.

“The WHO’s decision empowers producers of sunscreens and UV-filter ingredients to promote and defend their products in an environment of changing regulations and rising skepticism from consumers,” Gaspar adds.

The WHO stresses that regulatory reform is necessary to guarantee accessibility for price-vulnerable communities.Win-win pricing

The WHO Essential Medicines List (EML) listing came amid the organization’s heightened public recognition of sunscreen’s vital role in preventing UV-induced diseases.

However, while the listing intends to improve affordability for consumers, the organization explains that pricing outcomes for sunscreens are difficult to predict due to the complex regulatory nature of the sunscreen category.

“For sunscreens, it is not easy to predict the consequences of EML listing, as this is not the usual market with classic medicines, but a market where cosmetic products, medical products, and often very soft regulation are mixed,” the WHO representative says.

An upcoming EML technical report will call for new research to compare options and determine the optimal specifications. “Completing this step will help identify broad-spectrum sunscreens associated with lower costs.”

While the WHO hopes prices will drop for consumers, on the manufacturing side, BASF does not expect suppliers to face any pricing pressures.

“UV filter prices vary widely, and in recent years, the availability of safe, efficient, and affordable options has grown significantly. This progress makes it increasingly feasible to formulate high-protection sunscreens at accessible consumer prices, so we do not foresee major cost pressures,” Gaspar says.

BASF notes that there are rising expectations for sustainable and innovative sun care solutions, and that these expectations may shift formulation practices.

“In a competitive, highly regulated market, BASF’s approach is to balance cost efficiency with innovation to deliver effective, affordable sun protection while meeting evolving consumer needs,” Gaspar continues.

Standardization for reform

The regulatory framework for approving new sunscreen ingredients has seen sharp criticism in recent years. The US FDA has a reputation for being particularly slow in this process, having not approved a new UV filter for over-the-counter sunscreen products since 1999.

The WHO decision to list sunscreen as an essential medicine recognizes the dangerous effects of UV damage, especially in people with albinism.While the SAFE Sunscreen Standards Act, introduced earlier this year, aims to rectify this dormancy, brands and manufacturers have grown impatient. In response, some have turned to regulatory loopholes like SPF boosters to innovate new sunscreens.

The WHO emphasizes that the listing could support long-term regulatory harmony by clarifying standards for sunscreen composition, skin safety, and manufacturing quality.

“Many governments would be extremely pleased to have affordable, high-SPF sunscreen available. For many years, these products have not received much attention, resulting in a haphazard market,” the spokesperson says.

However, the WHO warns that fixing global inconsistencies in UV-filter approvals will take time and requires clearer rules.

The organization underlines that governments will need to establish common standards for ingredient composition, skin safety, and manufacturing practices, so that sunscreens meet the same basic quality level everywhere.

The WHO is also seeking an international reference standard that countries can incorporate into their own laws to mitigate regulatory uncertainty. These points will appear in the EML Technical Report that will accompany the listing. The spokesperson shares an excerpt of the upcoming, unpublished report:

“The Expert Committee recommended the inclusion of therapeutic broad-spectrum topical sunscreen on the EML … for the prevention of skin cancer in people with albinism. The committee recognized the higher susceptibility to the harmful effects of UV radiation, including (but not limited to) non-melanoma skin cancer, among people with albinism and the therapeutic need for effective and safe sun protection products in this population.”

However, the WHO says its EML listing is incomplete until one sunscreen formula has been prioritized over others.

“The committee was not able to recommend specific formulations for listing at this time,” the unpublished technical report reads.

“The Committee considered that listing sunscreens, even without a preferred formulation, was important to stimulate greater investment in research to compare the various formulations available and identify those associated with a better profile,” the excerpt continues.

Amid the organization’s call for “greater investment in research,” the WHO encourages structured collaboration between governments and the cosmetics industry to review sunscreens. It says this collaboration will ultimately support direct purchasing processes.

“Initiating a product review process with the industry can only lead to benefits,” the spokesperson concludes.