London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 10, 2025

Coronavirus: UK pharmacies see sanitiser sales spike

Pharmacies say they have seen a spike in sales of hand sanitisers and more demand for face masks in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak.

While virologists say hand sanitising can help stop the virus, they say there is not much evidence that face masks help.

Hand washing with soap is still the best cleaning practice, says the NHS.

Nonetheless, some online shops show a shortage of sanitiser and some stores are saying they don't stock masks.

Boots has seen an increase in sales of its own brand anti-viral hand foam and hand sanitisers, the BBC understands, and while some lines are out of stock, others can still be bought.

Ian Anderson, director of marketing at Nice Pak International, one of the world's biggest manufacturers of hand wipes, including the Sani Hands brand, said his firm's sales are up.

"At the moment we are trying to work out how best we can respond to that and in terms of supply chain management making sure we can access sufficient raw materials to keep pace with it - we are identifying how we can keep up with demand," he told the BBC. The firm has two factories in the UK and one in Germany.

Dorset-based medical supplies firm MediSupplies told customers on its website: "Due to the current high volume of face masks orders, we are unable to offer any face masks at this time." It advised customers to wash their hands and consider disinfectant wipes, sprays and gloves.

The Tesco and Morrisons websites are showing that some cleansing gels are out of stock.

The supermarkets declined to comment on sales.

"We know that in a hospital setting surgical masks are very effective and that's because the people using them are trained in their use," said Jonathan Ball, professor of virology at the University of Nottingham.

The mask must be properly fitted for it to filter all incoming air, he said. Users must also avoid cross contamination when taking it off, not wear them for too long and not meddle with them.

In a hospital, a doctor or nurse treating an infected patient might wear a gown, gloves, goggles and a mask, changing all of these once their time with the patient is over, he said. This isn't practical outside a hospital.

In the wider world "the consensus is it doesn't work," he said.

Instead, detergents, including soap, and disinfectants are "generally effective" against this kind of virus, he said.

Viruses similar to the structure of coronavirus are sensitive to alcohol and detergents, which can help break down their oily, fatty shells.

"Because sanitisers on the whole have alcohol, it does the same thing, breaks apart the virus particle," although there's evidence they are only effective when applied to a relatively clean surface, he warns. For muddy hands, soap and water are best.

The NHS says the best way to avoid catching viruses such as flu is to:

Walking into a central London Boots this afternoon, the hand sanitiser shelf only had a few bottles left. And customers were making a beeline for them.

People told me they had started to use these sorts of products more regularly, particularly after being on public transport.

One of the world's biggest manufacturers of antibacterial wet wipes, Nice Pack International, says they are concerned about keeping up with this surge in demand.

This spike in antibacterial product sales is however a rare positive business story in a nightmare scenario.

Many UK businesses will have a link to China, even if it is through a customer or trading partner's supply chain.

The ongoing quarantines and closures could mean that their ability to obtain or sell products is threatened.

And not knowing how long it will continue makes the situation even more difficult to manage.

According to George Magnus from Oxford University's China Centre, if it continues beyond mid-February, the hit to China's economic growth could be as much as 1 or 2 percentage points. And this will have an impact on global growth too.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
US Imposes New Tariffs on Brazilian Exports Amid Political Tensions
Azerbaijan and Armenia are on the brink of a historic peace deal.
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Weinstein Victim’s Lawyer Says MeToo Movement Still Strong
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
Labour Expected to Withdraw Support for Special Needs Funding Model
Leaked Audio Reveals Tory Aide Defending DEI Record
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
×