Sunscreen Sales Stay Hot amid Long Summer in Japan
Tokyo, Sept. 9 (Jiji Press)--Sales of sunscreen remain robust in Japan as the country swelters in the lingering summer heat and sunlight.
"Consumption is being supported by a longer period of strong sunlight during the prolonged summer," a research firm official said.
A Biore-brand sunscreen released by Kao Corp. in March sold at a pace about 40 pct faster than expected. It was briefly out of stock at some stores, a company official said.
A powder protecting against ultraviolet rays released by Shiseido Co. in February reached the company's annual shipment target of 320,000 units in just two months. The product was sold out at one point, prompting the cosmetics maker to increase production.
Sales of Perfect UV Series sunscreen from Kose Cosmeport Corp.'s popular Suncut brand grew by a double-digit percentage from March-August 2024, a company official said.
Firms are also seeing strong sales of other summer products such as parasols and UV protection clothing.
Sales of Toray Industries Inc.'s Summer Shield fabric, which has light-blocking and UV protection properties, increased by more than 20 pct on the back of growing demand for parasols.
Workwear retailer Workman Co.'s short-sleeve T-shirt released in March, which dries fast and has UV protection qualities, also sold well.
The market for sunscreen grew from about 59 billion yen in 2017 to an all-time high of about 77.5 billion yen in 2024 and is on track to top the record this year, according to research company Intage Inc.
Industry officials have high hopes that demand for summer products other than sunscreen will also grow further. A Toray official said only 20 pct to 30 pct of Japanese people use parasols.
The amount of UV rays reaching the Earth's surface has been increasing since 1990, according to fixed-point observation data from the Japan Meteorological Agency in Tsukuba, Ibaraki Prefecture, northeast of Tokyo.
"Environmental regulations have reduced air pollution, making it easier for UV rays to reach" people, said Hideaki Nakajima, senior researcher at the National Institute for Environmental Studies.
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