Canstar: Kiwis Regret Sunburns of Old

The most recent survey by consumer satisfaction company, Canstar Blue has revealed that New Zealanders feel remorse about not protecting themselves properly from the sun when they were younger.
 
Baby Boomers are the most likely age group to feel guilty about the sun-habits of their youth with close to three quarters (74%) wishing they had been more sun prepared. Across the regions, Northlanders are most likely to express regrets about their sun protection habits (77%).
 
The majority of New Zealanders (70%) say they are concerned about skin cancer but despite New Zealand (and Australia) having the highest melanoma incidence in the world, less than a quarter of Kiwis (24%) are regularly having mole maps/skin cancer checks, says Canstar New Zealand, General Manager Jose George.
 
“In a similar Canstar survey in 2012, 63% of New Zealanders admitted to not having their skin checked by a specialist in the last five years. It is interesting to see that very few people are still committing to regular checks of their skin.
 
“Across the age groups Generation Y is the least concerned about skin cancer (67%) and is also the least likely to regularly get any moles checked (16%), compared to Baby Boomers (42%).”
 
What we will do for a tan
 
New Zealanders are still flocking to the beach every summer, and 19% state that they often sunbathe, despite a nationwide concern about skin cancer and many awareness campaigns about being sun-safe.
 
Those in Northland are the most likely to spend time lying in the sun (33%) and those in Taranaki are the least likely to sunbathe often (7%). Women (20%) are more likely than men (17%) to be frequent sunbathers.
 
It is important that younger generations (in particular) are reminded about the danger of excessive sun exposure, although the majority of skin cancer cases occur in the over 50 age group, melanoma is also common in Gen Y and Gen X, says George.
 
We should know better
 
Seventy per cent of people in Nelson know that they should be protecting themselves from the sun better than they currently do, even higher than the national awareness of 59%, meaning that those in Nelson are the most likely to know they could do more about sun safety.
 
Gen Y is the most likely of the age groups to admit that they know they should be more careful in the sun (62%) showing that it is not a lack of awareness that leads to unsafe sun behaviour, says George.
 
“It’s all too easy to let the task of applying sunscreen fall by the wayside – especially in the cold of Winter but we should be slip slop slapping regularly throughout the year.”
 
The survey asked respondents to rate their sunscreen brand across eight variables:
1.       Value for money
2.       Texture and consistency
3.       Effectiveness
4.       Smell/scent
5.       Packaging
6.       Ease of dispensing
7.       Ease of absorption
8.       Overall satisfaction


Image from www.canstarblue.co.nz

This year, the brand that has topped the consumer satisfaction charts with a five-star rating from Canstar Blue, is Neutrogena.
 
Neutrogena has a wide range of sunscreens that cater to the whole family, and have bought in new technology that provides advanced protection from the sun, says George.
 
“Consumers are most happy with the effectiveness, ease of dispensing and absorption, and texture and consistency of Neutrogena.
 
“Interestingly consumers rated ease of absorption (20%) more highly in their drivers of satisfaction than effectiveness (17%). Neutrogena was the only brand to score a 5-star rating in both categories.”
 
Sunscreen habits by region: (only exceptions)
 
Otago: Those in Otago are least likely to wish they had been better protected from the sun when they were younger (55%) and most likely to be concerned about skin cancer (78%).
 
Bay of Plenty: Those in the Bay of Plenty are least likely to say that they should protect themselves from the sun better than they currently do (50%).
 
Northland: Those in Northland are most likely to say that they often sunbathe (33%) and most likely to wish they had better protected themselves from the sun when they were younger (77%).
 
Hawke’s Bay: Those in Hawke’s Bay are least likely (equal with Nelson) to be concerned about skin cancer (64%) and most likely to regularly have mole (skin cancer) checks (31%).
 
Taranaki: Those in the Taranaki are least likely to often sunbathe (7%).
 
Southland: Those in Southland are least likely to regularly have mole (skin cancer) checks (18%).
 
Nelson: Those in Nelson are most likely to say that they should better protect themselves from the sun than they do now (70%) and least likely (equal with Hawke’s Bay) to be concerned about skin cancer (64%).


*This geographical breakdown outlines exceptions only.