British holidaymakers are being cautioned against purchasing certain "trendy, alternative" mosquito repellents this summer, after a consumer watchdog revealed some failed to provide protection in under three minutes.
Which? tested 12 products, finding that two – marketed as eco-friendly and gentle on sensitive skin – offered minimal defence against bites.
One such product, Pestects Mosquito Repellent Bracelets, claimed up to 300 hours of protection on its "bold" packaging, yet volunteers wearing them were bitten within three minutes during trials.
The product was one of the most expensive repellents tested by Which? costing £19.99 for 12 bands.
Similarly, Meadows Organic Citronella Spray costing £6 for 100ml, which includes unrefined natural oils like citronella, lemongrass, and peppermint, offered “very little defence against blood-sucking insects, leaving subjects exposed and bitten almost instantly”, Which? reported.
Testing involved volunteers inserting their arms into a cage full of mosquitoes to see how long they could be exposed before being bitten.
Asda’s own-brand Extra Strength Insect Repellent spray costing £4 for a 125ml bottle provided total protection for an “impressive” nine-and-a-half hours, Which? Found.
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The watchdog said it found several other top-performing products that successfully kept volunteers entirely bite-free for the full 9.5-hour test, although none were as cheap as the Asda product.
Products containing DEET – including Jungle Formula Maximum Aerosol Insect Repellent (£7.20), Boots Repel Maximum DEET & PMD Aerosol (£9.10), Pyramid Trek 50 (£9.50), and Lifesystems Expedition Max DEET Mosquito Repellent (£9.00) – were all “highly effective”.
However testers found the application was not always smooth and some odours were unpleasant.
DEET, while highly effective, also has drawbacks, such as the chemical acting as a strong solvent that can melt plastics and synthetic fabrics, carrying a strong odour and irritating some sensitive skin.
However, Which? found products did not need to be as harsh to be effective. Its volunteers found Autan Insect Repellent (£5.65) which includes 20% Picaridin, kept mosquitoes completely at bay for nine-and-a-half hours in testing.
Incognito Insect Repellent Pump-Spray (£13.99), which uses plant-derived PMD rather than synthetic chemicals, also protected volunteers for nine hours and is safe for babies from six months old.
Natalie Hitchins, Which? head of home products and services, said: “Whether you’re heading abroad or just enjoying your own garden this summer, avoiding nature’s most blood-thirsty critters shouldn’t break the bank.
“Our tests reveal that some pricy, fashionable repellents can be a complete waste of money, offering less than three minutes of protection. Crucially, you don’t need to pay a premium to stay safe – a £4 supermarket spray beats the flashy brands to deliver hours of reliable protection.”
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