Demand for hand sanitisers drops as soap takes over
Skip to main content
  • Home
  • Economy
    • Aviation
    • Bazaar
    • Budget
    • Industry
    • NBR
    • RMG
    • Corporates
  • Stocks
  • Analysis
  • World+Biz
  • Sports
  • Features
    • Book Review
    • Brands
    • Earth
    • Explorer
    • Fact Check
    • Family
    • Food
    • Game Reviews
    • Good Practices
    • Habitat
    • Humour
    • In Focus
    • Luxury
    • Mode
    • Panorama
    • Pursuit
    • Wealth
    • Wellbeing
    • Wheels
  • Epaper
  • More
    • Subscribe
    • Videos
    • Thoughts
    • Splash
    • Bangladesh
    • Supplement
    • Infograph
    • Archive
    • COVID-19
    • Games
    • Long Read
    • Interviews
    • Offbeat
    • Podcast
    • Quiz
    • Tech
    • Trial By Trivia
    • Magazine
  • বাংলা
The Business Standard

Friday
January 27, 2023

Sign In
Subscribe
  • Home
  • Economy
    • Aviation
    • Bazaar
    • Budget
    • Industry
    • NBR
    • RMG
    • Corporates
  • Stocks
  • Analysis
  • World+Biz
  • Sports
  • Features
    • Book Review
    • Brands
    • Earth
    • Explorer
    • Fact Check
    • Family
    • Food
    • Game Reviews
    • Good Practices
    • Habitat
    • Humour
    • In Focus
    • Luxury
    • Mode
    • Panorama
    • Pursuit
    • Wealth
    • Wellbeing
    • Wheels
  • Epaper
  • More
    • Subscribe
    • Videos
    • Thoughts
    • Splash
    • Bangladesh
    • Supplement
    • Infograph
    • Archive
    • COVID-19
    • Games
    • Long Read
    • Interviews
    • Offbeat
    • Podcast
    • Quiz
    • Tech
    • Trial By Trivia
    • Magazine
  • বাংলা
FRIDAY, JANUARY 27, 2023
Demand for hand sanitisers drops as soap takes over

Trade

Shawkat Ali & Abdullah Al Mamun
29 April, 2020, 09:55 pm
Last modified: 29 April, 2020, 10:02 pm

Related News

  • Potential China wave is 'wild card' for ending Covid emergency: WHO advisors
  • WHO chief hopes Covid will no longer be emergency next year
  • The Prof Writes: Covid-19 - The one that got away from us
  • Long Covid remains a mystery, though theories are emerging
  • Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen tests Covid positive

Demand for hand sanitisers drops as soap takes over

People prefer soap instead of hand sanitisers during the stay-home period. They say soap is more effective against the virus

Shawkat Ali & Abdullah Al Mamun
29 April, 2020, 09:55 pm
Last modified: 29 April, 2020, 10:02 pm
Photo: Pixabay
Photo: Pixabay

The skyrocketing demand for hand sanitisers has dropped as more and more people during the stay-home period opt for soap, which is more effective against viruses and bacteria.

Even before the surge in coronavirus cases in the country, demand for hand sanitisers soared by almost 500 percent in the capital seven weeks ago.

At that time in the second week of March, major players in the hand sanitiser market were struggling to maintain uninterrupted supply, and subsequently started rationing the orders.

But the situation has changed completely as there is currently plenty of stock of sanitising products at the stores, with few buyers.

While the whole country is in a lockdown-like situation which is being called 'general holidays', and virus infections are edging up every day, surprisingly the demand for hand sanitisers has decreased in the capital.

Storekeepers and industry insiders say that fewer people are now buying hand sanitisers because customers say they prefer soap.

Basically, there are two reasons for that — one, soap is cheap and second, they are more effective at killing viruses and bacteria than alcohol-based sanitising products.

Kausar Sumon, who works for a  private company but who is now doing office work from home, said, "I spend most of my time at home since my office is closed. I mostly used hand sanitisers when I went out, but at home I use soap. So I do not have to use hand sanitisers that much."

Another private company employee named Abedin Jeem said, "My office gave me a small bottle of hand sanitiser. I could not even finish half of it until now. Soap is more effective against coronavirus and other germs as per the World Health Organization."

"I use the sanitiser when I go out to the market, maybe twice a week," he added.

On a visit to pharmacies and department stores in Dhaka, this correspondent found that there were plenty of hand sanitising products on sale, but few customers were coming to buy them.

A pharmacy salesman named Mohammad Anis said people used to scramble for hand sanitisers a few weeks ago, and all the products used to be sold as soon as they arrived.

"But now I cannot even sell 2-3 sanitisers a day," he added.

When the demand for hand sanitisers was high, some new brands showed up with low quality products.

According to the WHO, hand sanitisers must contain 60 percent alcohol to kill the virus, but those brands were reportedly not maintaining the required percentage of alcohol. The substandard sanitisers did not even have ingredient names written on them.

On condition of anonymity, a top official of a prominent brand said, "Two months ago we had to ration our orders as demand increased so much. But currently the demand for sanitisers is not the same as before."

Square, ACI, Dettol, Savlon are the brands that dominate the market currently with liquid, gel or foam format sanitiser products.

As per industry insiders, the products are sold in not more than 4,000-4,500 stores  across the country, while the country's hand sanitiser market is worth around Tk7 crore.

Top News

hand sanitiser / soap / Coronavirus

Comments

While most comments will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive, moderation decisions are subjective. Published comments are readers’ own views and The Business Standard does not endorse any of the readers’ comments.

Top Stories

  • Manufacturers feel the pinch as consumers tighten belt
    Manufacturers feel the pinch as consumers tighten belt
  • Sugar turning bitter!
    Sugar turning bitter!
  • Illustration: TBS
    HC verdict moves the needle on recognising single motherhood

MOST VIEWED

  • India to import goods from Bangladesh by rail
    India to import goods from Bangladesh by rail
  • File image
    India allows goods import from Bangladesh by rail, framework set
  • Photo: Mohammad Minhaj Uddin/TBS
    Direct container shipping to the United Kingdom starts on Friday
  • Photo: Collected
    No barrier in wheat import from India: Tipu Munshi
  • Photo: Courtesy
    Ctg Chamber president slams edible oil hoarders
  • Photo: Mohammad Minhaj Uddin/TBS
    NBR to allow more firms easy release of goods from ports

Related News

  • Potential China wave is 'wild card' for ending Covid emergency: WHO advisors
  • WHO chief hopes Covid will no longer be emergency next year
  • The Prof Writes: Covid-19 - The one that got away from us
  • Long Covid remains a mystery, though theories are emerging
  • Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen tests Covid positive

Features

Sketch:TBS

Why we need consumer education for consumer wellbeing

37m | Thoughts
Dr Ahsan H Mansur, Executive Director, Policy Research Institute. Illustration: TBS

Twin shocks call for stronger domestic policy response

1h | Thoughts
December-er shohor, taxi taken for airport and the Park Street bathed in lights. Photo: Jannatul Naym Pieal

Exploring Kolkata on foot, empowered by Google Maps

2h | Explorer
Island hopping in Bangladesh?

Island hopping in Bangladesh?

4h | Panorama

More Videos from TBS

Kajol’s road paintings bring change in Gafargaon

Kajol’s road paintings bring change in Gafargaon

16h | TBS Stories
Carew & Company witnessed a remarkable growth

Carew & Company witnessed a remarkable growth

17h | TBS Stories
PCB recalls cricketers from BPL ahead of PSL

PCB recalls cricketers from BPL ahead of PSL

19h | TBS SPORTS
Why Misha Sawdagar became villain instead of a Hero?

Why Misha Sawdagar became villain instead of a Hero?

18h | TBS Entertainment

Most Read

1
Picture: Collected
Bangladesh

US Embassy condemns recent incidents of visa fraud

2
Four top bankers arrested in DSA case filed by S Alam group 
Bangladesh

Four top bankers arrested in DSA case filed by S Alam group 

3
Illustration: TBS
Banking

16 banks at risk of capital shortfall if top 3 borrowers default

4
Photo: Collected
Splash

Hansal Mehta responds as Twitter user calls him 'shameless' for making Faraaz

5
A frozen Beyond Burger plant-based patty. Photographer: AKIRA for Bloomberg Businessweek
Bloomberg Special

Fake meat was supposed to save the world. It became just another fad

6
Representational Image
Banking

Cash-strapped Islami, Al-Arafah and National turn to Sonali Bank for costly fund

EMAIL US
[email protected]
FOLLOW US
WHATSAPP
+880 1847416158
The Business Standard
  • About Us
  • Contact us
  • Sitemap
  • Privacy Policy
  • Comment Policy
Copyright © 2023
The Business Standard All rights reserved
Technical Partner: RSI Lab

Contact Us

The Business Standard

Main Office -4/A, Eskaton Garden, Dhaka- 1000

Phone: +8801847 416158 - 59

Send Opinion articles to - [email protected]

For advertisement- [email protected]ws.net