“Felt like acid”: ALDI forced to defend sunscreen after customer’s horror stories
ALDI has been forced to defend a heavily criticised sunscreen range known as Ombra SPF 50+ as there have been several accusations from unhappy customers who were left with horrific sunburn.
Shoppers who bought the product have said that they were left with burns and skin irritations, but ALDI said that the sunscreen has passed industry testing and is safe to use.
Complaints have emerged, with many customers giving the product a one-star rating.
“Used this once and would never use it or recommend ever. Face felt like I had acid on it. My face was red and burned for hours after. Very, very itchy.”
“The Ombra 50+ spray is horrendous,” one woman said.
“I reapplied twice and was in the sun for a few hours at most (I am very pale), and I got absolutely roasted. It’s criminal to sell this product with the intensity of the Australian sun.”
A father from Queensland was also left with a nasty surprise after using the sunscreen.
Photo credit: Canstar Review
"We went for a swim 15 to 30 minutes after applying, dried and immediately applied again," Tate told 7NEWS.com.au.
"People refer to it as acid. You may as well cover yourself in vegetable oil," he said.
However, some customers have said that the horrific reactions are just different types of skin reacting to the active ingredients in the sunscreen.
“It’s not the actual sunscreen it’s how different individuals react to the active ingredients in it,” a woman said.
“It’s the same with every type of sunscreen. It’s why you should always patch test...”
An ALDI spokesperson told Yahoo News Australia that the sunscreen meets industry standards, but they will investigate complaints.
“We are always concerned to hear if a customer has experienced issues with our products and we will thoroughly investigate any complaints,” ALDI said.
“We can confirm ALDI Ombra sunscreens are extensively tested to ensure they meet best practice, safety and industry standards before they become available to customers.
“They are regulated by the TGA (Therapeutic Good Administration Australia) and ALDI adheres to all their requirements.
“As outlined on the product labels, ALDI Australia recommends customers carefully follow application instructions to achieve optimum protection including reapplying often enough and using the adequate thickness.”