Kopparberg Launches UPF40 Football Shirts to Keep Fans Sun Safe While Watching the Euros

As this year’s UEFA European Football Championship approaches, the UK is already gripped by football frenzy. Despite the often-overcast weather in Britain fans are expected to pour into pub gardens and fan zones to watch England and Scotland’s matches. With sunburn being a risk even when it is cloudy, research commissioned by Kopparberg has revealed some concerning statistics about Brit’s sun safety while enjoying a match. 

Nearly a third of Brits (29%) admitted to experiencing sunburn while either actively participating in or spectating football matches, either at live events or watching screenings in pub gardens, and 6 out of 10 Brits confess to sometimes skipping sunscreen when they attend a live football match or visit a pub garden to watch the game.

In response to this, and building on the brand’s ‘Drink Responsibly This Summer’ campaign created in partnership with the Melanoma Fund, Kopparberg are launching a UPF40 (Ultraviolet Protection Factor) football shirt which will be handed out at selected pubs across England and Scotland, and given out through competitions on their social channels.

Created with special UPF40 material that blocks 97.5% of UV rays, the shirts have been designed to keep football fans safe while they watch this year’s big matches, and raise awareness of the importance of UV protection in the sun through the large UPF rating and UV colour scale on the back of the shirt.

Alongside the football shirts, Kopparberg will also be handing sachets of SFP50 sunscreen and giving away special strawberry shaped UV reactive stickers that change colour to remind people of the importance of regularly reapplying sunscreen.

The shirts have been designed and produced by the brand’s long term brand strategy and creative agency Neverland, and follows last year’s award winning ‘Ice Bucket Hat’ which the agency developed to keep Kopparberg drinkers and their drinks cool in the summer heat.

Nancy Dales, brand manager at Kopparberg, said, “Kopparberg and summer are a perfect match. So, with sunnier days approaching, raising awareness about sun protection is important. We were surprised to learn that almost six out of 10 Brits neglect applying sunscreen every time they’re at a live football match or screening in a pub garden, which will be huge this summer with the Euro’s. That’s why we've introduced our UPF40 football jerseys and a range of SPF products as part of our 'Drink Responsibly This Summer' campaign, through which we're not just offering delicious refreshment on sunny days but also protection, ensuring that every outdoor experience is both enjoyable and safe.”

Andy Clough, joint ECD of Neverland said, “There’s no VAR to call back UV rays, once the damage starts it’s tough to reverse. Now Kopparberg drinkers can stay protected watching the Euros, whilst looking pretty damn good too.”

Michelle Baker CEO of the Melanoma Fund, said, “Sunburn doubles the risk of melanoma, the most dangerous forms of skin cancer, which is largely preventable by practising proper sun safety like seeking shade, wearing protective clothing, and applying SPF30+ sunscreen. This is precisely why our partnership with Kopparberg is so important, highlighting these issues and responsible drinking along with sun-safe habits this summer. Our specific tips around the importance of sun safety when socialising outdoors has been including within our Sunguarding Outdoors campaign, ensuring the focus can then be on enjoying summer, friends, football and fun.”