Sales of hand sanitiser soared by 255% in February 2020 in response to the coronavirus pandemic. With recommendations from the World Health Organization (WHO) to: “Regularly and thoroughly clean your hands with an alcohol-based hand rub or wash them with soap and water”, the global hand sanitiser market has grown exponentially from $1.53 billion in 2019 to an expected $3.04 billion in 2020.

Not all hand sanitisers are created equal and with so many new producers entering the market, coupled with the need for expedited delivery, errors creep in. We have seen recent recalls of hand sanitiser for containing methanol, rather than ethanol. Methanol can be toxic if absorbed through the skin and if it is ingested it can be life-threatening. So being careful in your choice of hand sanitiser is essential.

Our products are currently selling fast – everything that can be used to protect workplaces, staff and customers from coronavirus is flying off the shelves. From gloves and face masks, to environmental decontamination products and biocidal sanitisers, we have seen a rise in sales, and we are aware that the situation is very fluid.

This paper presents a side-by-side comparison of the science, standards and use cases of both 70% alcohol and alcohol-free hand sanitisers.