Indians are stocking up home care products like never before!

With the widespread surge in COVID-19 cases, people are now more concerned about sanitization and health. It has led to rapid increase in demand and supply of hand sanitizers, masks, PVC kits, etc. While public policy measures have been implemented to control the spread of COVID-19, the measures have resulted in significant operational disruption for many companies including those in the Indian healthcare industry. Staff quarantine, supply-chain failures and sudden reductions in customer demand have generated serious complications for companies across a wider range of sectors than initially anticipated. For most companies, the revenue lost in this period represents a permanent loss and has put a sudden, unanticipated pressure on working capital lines and liquidity. 

Despite the current crisis being a healthcare issue, the private healthcare system in the country continues to reel under the negative impact of COVID-19. There has been a significant drop in both in-patient and out-patient footfall for private hospital chains—be it a single speciality, multi-speciality, tertiary-care hospitals or even diagnostics businesses. Hand sanitizers and face masks vanished from chemist shops in many areas of the national capital and adjoining towns as people resorted to panic buying amid the coronavirus outbreak. Many chemist shops in several localities have run out of stock and manufacturers have not replenished the stock as demand took a sudden spike in the past couple of days. The government included sanitizers and masks under the Essential Commodities Act until the end of June to discourage shops from hoarding and selling these products at a higher price. The move is also aimed to ensure better supply of such goods that have seen a supply lag in several cities.

Offline and online retailers said they are seeing a significant surge in sale of antiseptic handwashes, germ-killing liquid cleaners, soaps and sanitizers. “All brands positioned as antiseptic or germ-killing are doing well. Sales of such products have increased substantially over the last two weeks," said Kamaldeep Singh, President of Future Group-owned Big Bazaar’s food business. The Himalaya Drug Company said demand for its sanitizers and handwashes surged ten times over the last few weeks. "Apart from PureHands, Guduchi (pure herbs tablets) that augments immunity, has witnessed a threefold increase in demand," said Philipe Haydon, CEO, The Himalaya Drug Company. The demand for sanitizers was pan-India, while that for its immunity building products came largely from Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Gujarat.

Globally, countries have been in a lockdown mode taking extreme measures to control the spread of the pandemic that has now affected 133,034,420 people worldwide. As cities announce closure of schools, universities and cinema halls, it has prompted consumers to buy surplus goods in case supplies for basic household necessities run out.

                               By - Shivani and Kajal