June 25, 2009

1 Min Read
How do we handle product warnings and recalls?

Right when I thought I had this sunscreen business down (I often find myself more pasty after spending time in the sun) and that the debate was settled (everyone knows you need to wear sunscreen, right?) I read about a report from European consumer watchdog organization, Which? saying that sunscreen manufacturers are labeling products with false SPF values. Sadly, that's not the part the troubled me. Misguided consumers are deciding the best way to respond the results is to STOP wearing sunscreen. Talk about cutting off your nose to spite (or burn) your face. If the results are in fact accurate (there's still much debate on the processes behind the study), it's discouraging that my SPF 30 may actually be more like an SPF 27. I may even have less confidence in the labels on my products. But how should this type of information, these scares, impact our actions? We run into similar dilemmas often, whether it be with recent food recalls or this Which? product investigation. I'm certainly not going to stop wearing sunscreen--or eating peanut butter. When it comes to our health, our diets and bodies, is there such a thing as a healthy dose of skepticism?

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