Cancer survivor urges UK to drop sunscreen VAT and calls on Canada to follow

Jessica Zbinden-Webster, diagnosed with basal-cell carcinoma at 26, survived surgery and now pushes the British government to abolish the 20 % value-added tax on sunscreen, arguing it discourages preventive use. Her online petition has attracted more than 100,000 supporters and aligns with calls from UK skin-health charities and a 2026 parliamentary UV Safety Inquiry report. In Canada, sunscreen is classified as a health product but still incurs a 5 % federal GST plus provincial sales taxes ranging from 5 % to 15 %, prompting organizations like Melanoma Canada and the Canadian Cancer Survivor Network to advocate for tax relief.

Finance Canada says the tax system is under continual review, while Health Canada deferred the issue to the finance department. Zbinden-Webster points to Australia’s GST exemption on sunscreen as a precedent, hoping similar action could be taken elsewhere.