Consumer research and ratings company Canstar Blue has named the insect repellent deemed most effective at fighting off the little blood-suckers.
“Putting up with mosquitoes is an unfortunate fact of life when you live in a tropical or sub-tropical climate, but fortunately there are measures we can take to reduce our chances of being bitten,” said head of Canstar Blue, Megan Doyle. “And as we know, not only are mosquitoes irritating, but they also spread serious diseases.
“With confirmed cases of the Zika virus in Australia, there will be a lot of concern about mosquitoes, especially for pregnant women or those looking to conceive. So people will be asking questions about the best way to protect themselves,” Doyle said.
“To that end, our customer satisfaction ratings are a helpful guide because they are based on the honest opinions of consumers who have bought a used various brands of insect repellent.”
Based on the responses of 1,372 Australian adults who have purchased and used insect repellent in the last 12 months, Bushman was the highest rated brand for effectiveness, low skin irritation and overall satisfaction.
“Insect repellent can be expensive, so consumers want to be sure they are getting a product that genuinely work well – and doesn’t cost the earth,” said Doyle. “And not only does the product need to be effective, you also need it to be comfortable on your skin and have a pleasant scent.
“Australians are lucky to live in a beautiful country, but it’s a country we share with all manner of unpleasant insects. Hopefully these ratings prove helpful to consumers when it comes to fighting them off.”
The survey, conducted in January and February 2016, found that the majority are consumers (76 per cent) have tried multiple brands of insect repellent in an effort to find one that works really well.
“We are thrilled to achieve this award, it represents 26 years of effort and our dedication in providing consumers with the best possible repellent,” said Bushman CEO Andrew Raper. “This added to our selection as the official supplier for the Australian Olympic Team makes us very proud as a team to be part of an iconic brand.
“More and more consumers recognise the need for the best possible repellent, particularly with the increases in vector borne virus such as Dengue, Ross River and now Zika.”
