Nearly one-third of the 25 sampled products failed to provide UV protection, including items purchased from large malls for two to three hundred yuan. This was revealed in a comparative experiment report on the UV protection function of umbrellas released yesterday by the Beijing Consumer Association (hereinafter referred to as "the Association").
The samples used in this comparative experiment were randomly purchased from malls, supermarkets, and markets across Beijing. All the samples claimed to have UV protection functions, with prices ranging from 20 to 500 yuan. These included 25 brands produced by 24 enterprises from five provinces and municipalities: Beijing, Shanghai, Guangdong, Fujian, and Zhejiang. In this comparative experiment, 17 of the 25 tested samples met national standard requirements for key quality indicators, accounting for 68% of the total sample size. Eight samples did not meet these standards, making up 32% of the total.
A relevant official from the Association introduced that among the eight substandard samples, an umbrella sold at Chang'an Mall, priced at 316 yuan under the Happy Rain brand, was found to have a radiation protection index far below the standard and could not be considered a "UV protection product." This product was manufactured by Shenzhen Haiderman Machinery Equipment Co., Ltd. Additionally, other substandard samples included ELLE brand umbrellas sold at Beijing Wangfujing Department Store produced by Shanghai Ruiguan Apparel Co., Ltd., Labell brand umbrellas sold at Zhuangshengå´‡ Guang Department Store, and Miine brand umbrellas sold at Watson's, all of which failed to meet the standard for radiation protection. The Association stated that these products are suspected of false advertising due to their lack of claimed functionality upon testing.
Experts explained that the main reasons for the substandard umbrellas failing to meet standards are merchants cutting costs by not inspecting the quality of raw materials during procurement, along with manufacturers having unclear concepts about UV protection products and being unfamiliar with relevant standard requirements. Of particular concern is that some companies even pass off non-UV protective coated fabrics or ordinary rainä¼˛ fabrics as UV protective materials to deceive consumers.
The Association advises consumers not to blindly purchase expensive umbrella products, as price does not necessarily correlate with material quality. After washing or exposure to rain, the UV protection performance of umbrellas does not significantly decrease, so consumers can use them with confidence. Currently, UV protective fabrics come in two types: coated and uncoated. Having a coating does not necessarily mean better UV protection compared to uncoated ones, and darker colors generally offer better UV protection than lighter ones. Consumers should choose according to their needs. When purchasing umbrellas, consumers should check if the product clearly states its UV protection function and retain the product tags, packaging, and shopping receipts in case of quality issues to effectively protect their legitimate rights.
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