- Stock up on sunscreen at home instead of splashing out abroad
- Buying suncream at a UK supermarket is much cheaper than buying abroad
- 69% of families of four need at least eight more bottles of sun lotion than they are currently packing
- The NHS recommends at least 12 bottles of sunscreen for a family of four on a seven-night holiday
Skimping on buying sun-cream at home could cause splurging abroad, according to a new survey. The survey,conducted by online travel agent Holiday Hypermarket revealed that the UK is one of the cheapest countries in Europe to buy suncream, but despite this, British families of four are often hit with a total of spend of more than£100 if they don’t take enough and are forced to buy extra bottles while on holiday.
According to the Post Office Holiday Costs Barometer***, the average 200ml bottle of SPF15 sunscreen costs £4.50, while an equivalent bottle can cost up to £12.28 in Alicante, £12.71 in Limassol, £13.15 in both Majorca and Halkidiki and a scorching £17.45 in Ibiza.
When considering that NHS guidelines recommend applying suncream at least five times a day, twice before going out and after every swim, it’s surprising that the survey revealed that 91% of UK holidaymakers don’t pack enough sun lotion to last the duration of a seven-day holiday.
The survey also revealed that 44% of adults tend to pack just one bottle of sun-cream, while 25% pack no sun protection at all.
Considering the fact that, at the bare minimum, families with two adults and two children require at least 12 bottles of sun-cream for a seven-night getaway,both the health and financial implications of buying before you fly should be taken more seriously.
The table below shows the average cost of sun lotion in package holiday destinations across Europe, plus the extra cost of buying eight bottles in that destination compared to the UK.
| Location | One bottle: average cost for 200ml SPF15 branded sunscreen | Eight bottles: total cost of buying at holiday destination | Eight bottles: difference in cost compared to buying in UK |
| UK | £4.50 | £36 | n/a |
| IBIZA, Spain | £17.45 | £139.60 | £103.60 |
| HALKIDIKI, Greece | £13.15 | £105.20 | £69.20 |
| MAJORCA, Spain | £13.15 | £105.20 | £69.20 |
| LIMASSOL, Cyprus | £12.71 | £101.68 | £65.68 |
| ALICANTE, Spain | £12.28 | £98.24 | £62.24 |
| BENIDORM, Spain | £11.93 | £95.44 | £59.44 |
| SLIEMA, Malta | £11.51 | £92.08 | £56.08 |
| ZADAR, Croatia | £9.23 | £73.84 | £37.84 |
| POREC, Croatia | £7.29 | £58.32 | £22.32 |
| LISBON COAST, Portugal | £7.02 | £56.16 | £20.16 |
| MARMARIS, Turkey | £6.67 | £53.36 | £17.36 |
| CORFU, Greece | £6.31 | £50.48 | £14.48 |
| PAPHOS, Cyprus | £6.25 | £50.00 | £14.00 |
| CRETE, Greece | £6.14 | £49.12 | £13.12 |
| TORREMOLINOS, Spain | £4.82 | £38.56 | £2.56 |
| ALGARVE, Portugal | £3.94 | £31.52 | -£4.48 |
| SUNNY BEACH, Bulgaria | £2.34 | £18.72 | -£17.28 |
Craig Duncan of Holiday Hypermarket says: ‘Cost is one of the most important considerations for any holiday, yet Brits are underestimating the amount of sun cream they need and then wasting hundreds by stocking up abroad.
‘A British family can spend an eye-watering £200 to buy extra lotion for a two week holiday in Ibiza. That could easily cover a few delicious family meals, a room upgrade or new holiday clothes.
‘Buying enough sun cream at a supermarket in the UK is one of the most effective money-saving holiday hacks there is!’
See the infographic by Holiday Hypermarket below:
