Dutch beach restaurants add ‘shots’ of sunscreen to menu in fight against cancer

At Zand Katwijk you can not only enjoy food and drinks, this beach restaurant also offers ‘shots’ of sunscreen.

It is one of 160 hospitality establishments in the Netherlands participating in a new program to prevent sunburn. The small, wet and windy country may not be known for its tropical climate, but the Dutch have one of the highest diagnosis rates of melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, in Europe.

“They have done research on different types of cancer and where they occurand one of the conclusions was that places like Katwijk have more skin cancer than average,” said Dirk Schipper, the fourth generation of his family to run the business. “People come here for the sun, sea and sand… but things have changed in our 94 years.”

Customers used to ask for a squirt of sunscreen, so when a health insurer made 100,000 promotional “shots” of factor 30 in June, Schipper ordered three boxes and sold the 30ml bottles for the cost of €2.99. “People call it a lifesaver,” he said. “We have a temperate maritime climate, so the wind often cools you down, but at the same time the sun’s rays are very strong. You can get burned without noticing. Offering this should be as normal as offering a napkin.”

According to the Dutch Cancer Society, one in five people will develop a form of skin cancer in their lifetime.IKNL). It is the most common form, which stands for 52% of cancer cases and growing faster than the population is ageing – raising concerns among charities such as the Dutch Cancer Society, the Dutch authorities and insurers who are footing the bill.

There are more Dutch people not die from skin cancer – probably due to good diagnosis and treatment – ​​but the costs are rising. The health insurer behind the scheme, Zilveren Kruis, believes that 95% of the cases can be prevented by proper use of sun protection.

Healthcare in the Netherlands is provided through mandatory health insurance, by private companies, and the government regulates what must be included in a ‘basic’ health insurance. Zilveren Kruis is one of the largest providers.

Local authorities, sports clubs and schools are also involved. placing sunscreen dispensers in public places such as beaches and parks to encourage wider use. But new research suggests that restaurant patios are a key location where people are likely to get sunburned.

At Zand Katwijk, customer Petra Hoogeveen (71) from Leiden said that both her mother and son had had skin cancer. “People who live in warmer countries like Spain try to avoid the sun, but we don’t: we seek out the sun,” she said. “I don’t really go out into the sun, because I think it’s too hot… but I don’t really use sunscreen either.”

Daytrip to The Hague boat, bike and walking tour company in The Hague ordered 100 tubes. Rogier Soetekouw, the owner, said his staff is encouraged to wear hats and sunscreen. “It makes sense to take it to the beach, but you need it in the city too,” he said.

Dermatologist Dr Daniel Kadouch and founder of Tenue Soleil, a UV clothing company that created the sunscreen for the campaign, said: “I think it’s a combination of the UV index going up over the last 10, 20 years, but it’s also a lot about lifestyle. We try to educate people that sun protection is a combination of measures: staying out of the sun during peak hours, trying to cover as much of your skin as possible with clothing… including hats and sunglasses, and then for the remaining skin that’s exposed, applying and reapplying an SPF of 30 or higher.

“The American Skin Cancer Foundation is very clear about the link between sunburn and skin cancer: if you have five or more sunburns, especially during childhood, your risk doubles. Research from Maastricht University Research into the psychology of sun protection has shown that a third of people still burn.”

Dr. Arjan van Dijk, a researcher at the RIVM and an advisor to the Ministry of Health for an information campaign on skin cancer, said that the exact causes are difficult to determine, but that the number of cases is increasing due to the aging of the population, which can cause lifelong damage to the skin.

“The problem starts with the fact that the Dutch are lucky enough to have an increasingly high life expectancy: that is the main driver of the skin cancer trend,” he said. “We are similar to the Danes and the Scots: (many people) have relatively light skin, which puts you at a disadvantage in this respect. And the Dutch love the sun, so when spring comes, we all rush outside and expose ourselves!”

A history of bad weather is a reason for societal behavior around the sun, said Prof. Peter Jan Margry, a cultural historian at the University of Amsterdam. “The Dutch always feel like they miss the sun, because the sky is so cloudy, it always rains and we never close our curtains,” he said. “I lived in Rome and everyone keeps their shutters and curtains closed to keep the sun out – but the Dutch want the light in, because of the lack of sun.”

But as climate change brings warmer weather, heat waves and droughts, some believe a cultural shift is needed. “We’re not saying tanning or vacationing is to blame,” Van Dijk said, “but the advice we give to change behavior is the only steering wheel we have to turn this oil tanker years in advance.”