Louis Vuitton owner to make hand sanitiser at perfume factories amid risk of France shortages

Company states it will ‘continue to honour this commitment for as long as necessary’

LVMH luxury group Chief Executive Bernard Arnault announces their 2019 results in Paris, France on 28 January 2020 (REUTERS/Christian Hartmann)

Louis Vuitton’s parent company LVMH has pledged to use its perfume factories to manufacture hand sanitiser in order to reduce the risk of a shortage in France amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Throughout the ongoing spread of Covid-19, sales of hand sanitiser have notably increased.

Earlier this month, it was reported that supermarket sales of hand sanitiser in the UK had soared by 255 per cent in the four weeks leading up to 23 February.

A few days later, it was reported that hand sanitisers were being flogged on eBay for up to 50 times their retail price.

On Sunday, LVMH released a statement outlining its commitment to making hand sanitisers, stating that from Monday all of the production facilities for its perfume and cosmetics brands would be utilised “to produce large quantities of hydroalcoholic gel”.

The company stated that the gel “will be delivered free of charge to the French health authorities” and as a “priority” to the Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, a university hospital trust.

“Given the risk of a shortage of hydroalcoholic gel in France, Bernard Arnault has instructed the LVMH Perfumes and Cosmetics business to prepare its production sites to manufacture subtsantial quantities of hydroalcoholic gel to be provided to public authorities,” the statement reads.

“Through this initiative, LVMH intends to help address the risk of a lack of product in France and enable a greater number of people to continue to take the right action to protect themselves against the spread of the virus.”

LVMH added that it will “continue to honour this commitment for as long as necessary”, while working closely with the health authorities in France.

As of Sunday 15 March, more than 1,370 people in the UK were confirmed to have coronavirus and 35 patients who tested positive have died, the government stated.

More than 40,000 people have been tested across the nation, with more than 38,000 acquiring negative results.

Last week, it was reported that Glossier had closed all its retail stores in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

The company’s founder and CEO, Emily Weiss, said that while the firm understands the move will “sacrifice some near-term business goals”, it is “prepared to put public health ahead of our bottom line”.

“We’re not alarmists, we’re realists,” Weiss said at the end of her statement.

“While this may not be the right decision for every company, it’s the one where we feel we can make an impact.”

The World Health Organisation recommends that people clean their hands regularly and thoroughly, washing them for at least 20 seconds with water and soap or hand sanitiser.

If you have any coronavirus symptoms or have recently travelled to an affected area, contact the NHS helpline on 111 and do not visit your GP or hospital.