To wonder if production of hand sanitizer has stopped.

[moondance19]

I understand that everyone’s been crazily clearing the shelves of it, but I never see the shelves restocked? Does anyone know anything?

Apparently our Boots were getting some in today, but yeah I was wondering that too. I wonder if it takes longer to make.

There was a factory in North Wales on our news last night still producing. They had taken on 4 new staff last week and plan to increase that next week to keep up with demand they said. I still haven’t seen any in any shops though.

i don't think they will have purposefully stopped production (if anything those companies will want to maximise production as they can maximise sales right now) but there's no way they'll have forecasted this sudden increase in demand. companies hold a certain amount of bottles, caps etc as well as the ingredients to make the hand sanitiser itself, enough to cover their next few weeks/months of production. when that's gone they're at the mercy of their own suppliers to get more stuff in to them as quickly as possible, but THOSE suppliers are also waiting on materials from THEIR suppliers etc!

i work for a similar company and our soap and hand wash demand has gone through the roof but we can't keep up with it as obviously we didn't see this coming and stockpile componentry!

No it’s odd isn’t it. I just have one that I keep in my coat pocket. Stupid me didn’t close the lid properly and half of it leaked out.

It’s being kept for emergency staff I think

Chemists meat me have been told not to see that and other stuff like masks etc as it has to be kept for heath are staff

Healthcare staff

I've been keeping an eye on superdrug online. Shops local to me have been getting regular supplies of hand gel, and it sells out within the hour. I think it's a case of people are buying it faster than it can be put on the shelves. Because demand is so much higher I don't think factories can just push a button to keep up with demand. It's not exactly something that normally flies off the shelves

No idea but with a very immune compressed husband I am desperate to get some! We are all keeping hands clean but when out and about the gel gives extra security

There are three major uk producers and they are all ramping up production ie extra shifts etc but issue is bottles come from China in many instances so they are getting approval to supply in whatever size/shapes they can get. Once approved they are rushing through label design (remember all the legal info still needed and vital to be correct) - they are really doing their best.

That’s reassuring showgirl

It's been on the news that the factory is producing round the clock.

It takes a while to restore supplies on the shelves. It's still being snapped up as soon as it appears. So I think it'll still be a while before you can reliably find it in most places

our Boots gets a delivery most days, but all gone by 10.00am

The lady in super drug said they got 120 bottles in this morning and in 10 mins It had sold. That's with a 2 per person limit.

I heard a man working in the Boots pharmacy telling a customer yesterday that people were queuing outside the store each day to buy it, and it sells out immediately. I think that must be happening most places, and that's why it's never on the shelf.
I still haven't been able to buy any. Guess I'll need to start waiting outside Boots before they open if I want some!

@ showgirl

This is also what I was told by our janitorial supplier when I tried to order some for work (large building open to public). The containers are made in China so it's not so much the shortage of the product but the containers.

My Mum said when she went into Boots a staff member just gave her two bottles, maybe they are selecting who gets them.

I have it anyway, so have a few bottles in the house, I also have a tub of hand wipes, so reasonably well covered.