National charity Allergy UK issued an alert today (April 22) “to warn parents with children with a nut allergy” that Nivea manufacturer – Beiersdorf – recently added almond oil to its sun protection range for children.

It said it had received calls to its helpline, while people have also taken to social media to warn parents not to use the products if their kids have a nut allergy. 

A spokesperson for Nivea confirmed to C+D that it had indeed added almond oil to the kids’ sun care range this year to “further improve our formulas to provide the best products for our consumers”.

“Almond oil is used in a wide range of formulas for babies and children, as it makes skin soft to touch and protects it from moisture loss,” the spokesperson added.

“The highest standards regarding toxicological testing and the quality of our ingredients and products are essential for Beiersdorf. Please be assured that all ingredients used in our products have been thoroughly evaluated regarding safety and skin compatibility according to the current EU legislation for cosmetics.”

“No known food allergic potential”

Nivea stressed that the almond oil used in its products – including the children’s range – “is refined in a way that there is no known food allergic potential”.

The brand recommended those who have concerns to contact their GP before using the product.

“If in doubt, our NIVEA SUN Babies & Kids Sensitive Protect range may be a more suitable alternative, as it does not contain almond oil,” the spokesperson said.