TOP 5 Sunscreen Factories in the UK

Brands targeting the UK sunscreen market fear nothing more than choosing the wrong UK sunscreen factory. The UK has stricter compliance requirements for sunscreens (such as UKCPA registration and ingredient restrictions) than other European countries. Additionally, consumers in the UK prefer sunscreens that are “lightweight and anti-photoaging” as well as “sensitive skin-friendly”. Choosing the wrong factory may result in products being unable to launch on the market and a waste of time and costs.

I. First, Understand This: When Looking for a UK Sunscreen Factory, You Must First Align with These 2 Needs

When manufacturing sunscreens for the UK market, factories must first meet the “hard requirements” of the UK market—no matter how low the cost is, it will be useless if these requirements are not met:

• Compliance is Non-Negotiable: UK sunscreens must be registered on the “UK Cosmetic Products Notification Portal (UKCPA)”. Factories must hold EU ISO22716/GMPC certifications and must not use 26 restricted sensitizing fragrances in the UK (e.g., hydroxycitronellal) or high-concentration oxybenzone.
• Products Must Fit Consumer Preferences: British consumers commonly purchase three types of UK sunscreens: ① High-protection broad-spectrum sunscreens (SPF50+ PA++++, which protect against UVA/UVB and combat photoaging); ② Sunscreens for sensitive skin/mothers and babies (alcohol-free, fragrance-free, mainly physical sunscreens); ③ Organic sunscreens (EU ECOCERT certified, with over 85% plant-based ingredients). Factories must be capable of producing these types of products.

II. When Selecting a UK Sunscreen Factory, Focus on These 4 Core Criteria

Don’t just focus on whether a factory “can produce”—you need to check if it “can produce high-quality UK sunscreens”. These 4 points are key to avoiding pitfalls:

• Fast UKCPA Registration: The factory should assist in completing UKCPA registration within 7-10 days and provide raw material test reports (e.g., sunscreen agent purity, heavy metal content) to prevent compliance delays.
• Capability to Manufacture Popular UK Styles: It should have an existing library of UK sunscreen formulas (such as anti-photoaging formulas with ergothioneine, and sensitive-skin formulas with micronized zinc oxide), eliminating the need for ground-up R&D.
• Flexible Production Capacity: UK startups often need 10,000-30,000 bottles for trial production, while mature brands require over 300,000 bottles during peak seasons. The factory must support small minimum order quantities and deliver within 4-6 weeks (UK logistics is fast— the factory shouldn’t hold things up).
• Reliable Quality Control: For every batch of UK sunscreens, the factory must test “actual SPF/PA values” (with a deviation ≤10%), “low-temperature stability” (to prevent sunscreen separation, as winters in the UK are cold), and ensure microbial indicators meet standards (total bacterial count ≤1000 CFU/g).

III. Recommendations for the Top 5 Sunscreen Factories in the UK

1.Reckitt Benckiser

As a leading local daily chemical giant in the UK (owning well-known brands such as Dettol and Scholl), it serves as a “core supplier” to high-end pharmacies including Boots and Superdrug, focusing on OEM services for high-end anti-photoaging sunscreens and medical-grade sunscreens.

Core Advantages:

1. Proficient in Compliance – With 50 years of in-depth experience in the UK market, it can achieve “48-hour express submission” for UKCPA registration. It has direct access to the UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) to obtain priority review qualifications, and all raw materials have passed British Pharmacopoeia-level testing.
2. Cutting-Edge Technology – It holds a “broad-spectrum sunscreen agent compounding patent”. The UK sunscreens it produces (SPF50+ PA++++) can protect against UVA, UVB, and blue light simultaneously. Its anti-photoaging variants contain 2% ergothioneine (a concentration higher than the industry average) and can achieve “film formation in 10 seconds after application without leaving a white cast”.
3. Channel Adaptability – Having long-term experience in serving the UK pharmacy channel, it can assist brands in obtaining shelf qualification for Boots and provide packaging designs that meet pharmacy standards (such as leak-proof hoses and Braille labels).

Suitable for Brands:

Mid-to-high-end brands aiming to enter high-end UK pharmacies (Boots, Superdrug) and focusing on “medical-grade” or “anti-photoaging” positioning.

2.DESIFINE

This Sino-German joint venture factory is a “cost-effective player” serving the UK market. It not only meets EU compliance requirements but also understands the needs of UK consumers, making it particularly suitable for small and medium-sized brands.

Core Advantages:

1. Full Compliance Coverage – It holds EU GMPC certification and can complete UKCPA registration within 10 days. The sunscreen agents used (e.g., Tinosorb S, zinc oxide) comply with UK ingredient restrictions (free of hydroxycitronellal and high-concentration oxybenzone) and can provide third-party ingredient test reports from SGS UK.
2. Consumer-Focused Products – It can customize popular UK-style sunscreens: anti-photoaging UK sunscreens with SPF50+ PA++++ (compounded with ergothioneine and ferulic acid, boosting anti-photoaging effects by 50%); physical sunscreens for sensitive skin (using 50nm micronized zinc oxide, no white cast or makeup caking after application). The texture is adapted to the UK’s humid climate (silicone oil is added to adjust texture, ensuring no greasiness or acne breakouts).
3. Hassle-Free Services – It offers one-stop services covering “formula customization → UKCPA registration → local UK warehousing (London warehouse)”, and supports direct fulfillment to Amazon UK FBA warehouses, reducing cross-border logistics costs.

Suitable for Brands:

Small and medium-sized brands, as well as cross-border e-commerce brands (Amazon UK, Ocado), that aim to enter the UK market and prioritize “fast compliance + cost-effectiveness + customization”.

3.Green People

It is a wholly-owned factory under Green People, a well-known British organic skincare brand. Specializing in the OEM of organic UK sunscreens, it is the “designated supplier” for British organic specialty stores and has won the “UK Organic Beauty OEM Gold Award” for 5 consecutive years.

Core Advantages:

1. Comprehensive Organic Certifications – It holds the EU ECOCERT organic certification and the highest-level organic certification from the UK Soil Association. The organic UK sunscreens it produces contain 95% plant-based ingredients (all raw materials are sourced from local British organic farms, such as organic sunflower seed oil from Cornwall and organic green tea extract from Scotland). These sunscreens are free of chemical sunscreens and synthetic preservatives, and even the packaging ink used is organic soy ink.
2. Strong Formula Adaptability – Targeting the rainy and foggy climate in the UK, it has developed “water-resistant and sweat-resistant organic formulas”. After passing the “40-minute rain wash test”, the sun protection factor (SPF) still remains at SPF45+. Additionally, the sunscreens are non-sticky after application (organic coconut oil derivatives are added to adjust the texture).
3. Strong Brand Endorsement – It can share Green People’s “organic brand resources” to assist brands in entering British organic specialty stores (such as Whole Foods and Planet Organic). It also supports the joint launch of “co-branded organic sunscreen products”.

Suitable for Brands:

British local brands focusing on “organic and eco-friendly” and “natural and additive-free”, exclusive brands for organic beauty specialty stores, or small and medium-sized brands looking to leverage the “organic concept” to increase product premium.

4.Malibu Cosmetics

As the wholly-owned production base of Malibu, a national British sunscreen brand (the brand has been popular in the UK for 20 years, and 1 out of every 5 people in Europe has used its products), it specializes in OEM services for “fragrance + functional” sunscreens and is a “bestseller supplier” for e-commerce platforms such as ASOS and Lookfantastic.

Core Advantages:

1. Top-Tier Fragrance Technology – It has an exclusive cooperation with the UK laboratory of Givaudan, a world-leading fragrance company, and owns over 80 natural fragrances favored by British consumers (such as classic coconut scent, Cornwall lavender scent, and Earl Grey tea fresh scent). Adopting “microcapsule sustained-release technology”, the sunscreen’s fragrance can last for 6-8 hours, and all fragrances have obtained low-sensitivity certification from the British Allergy Foundation.
2. Strong Product Performance – It focuses on high-protection water-resistant formulas (SPF50+ PA++++, which has passed the 80-minute seawater immersion test). By adding VE and organic aloe vera extract, it achieves the dual function of “sunscreen + post-sun repair”. The texture is moisturizing and non-sticky, suitable for British coastal vacation scenarios.
3. High Adaptability to E-Commerce – It provides services including “small-batch trial production (starting from 30,000 bottles) + e-commerce-exclusive packaging”, can assist in designing “vacation sunscreen gift sets” and “portable spray sets”, and can also connect with Amazon UK warehouses to achieve 24-hour delivery.

Suitable for Brands:

Internet-famous brands and light luxury niche brands that aim to enter the segmented track of “fragrance sunscreens” and deploy on British e-commerce platforms (ASOS, Lookfantastic), as well as sunscreen brands focusing on “vacation scenarios”.

5.Sederma UK

It is a wholly-owned branch of France’s Sederma in the UK, specializing in UK sunscreens for sensitive skin, mothers and babies. Its mildness meets the UK’s highest medical standards, making it a “core supplier” for the UK maternal and infant channels.

Core Advantages:

1. Top-Tier Mildness – Its formulas have passed tests by the British Association of Dermatologists (BAD), with irritation levels 95% lower than UK standards. Free of alcohol, fragrances, colorants and parabens, its products can be labeled as “suitable for eczematous skin” and “safe for newborns”.
2. Comprehensive Maternal & Infant Certifications – It holds certification from the British Medical Association (BMA) and the EU’s “Ecocert Cosmos Natural” certification. The maternal and infant sunscreens it produces can enter the maternal and infant sections of Mothercare and Boots.
3. Considerate Formulas – Targeting the outdoor activity scenarios of British babies, it has developed “easily washable formulas” (washable with plain water, non-irritating to babies’ eyes). With the addition of 5% panthenol and 3% ceramides, the products provide both sun protection and skin repair benefits.

Suitable for Brands:

Brands focusing on the sensitive skin, maternal and infant track, and deploying in UK maternal and infant channels (Mothercare, Boots Maternal & Infant Section).

IV. When Looking for a UK Sunscreen Factory, Avoid These 3 Pitfalls

V. Summary: Comparison Table of the 5 UK Sunscreen Factories