Hand Sanitizer is Sold Out All Over As Sales Spike on Coronavirus Fears

Many may have noticed over the weekend that shelves which used to have hand sanitizers on them were completely empty.

Hand sanitizers sold online also had “out of stock” written underneath them on countless websites and eBay has pulled all listings that include hand sanitizers to put a stop to price gauging. Amazon has also removed listings where hand sanitizer were being sold for a lot more than their retail cost and has banned some sellers from its platform.

The coronavirus has sparked massive panic across the world and people are stock piling on hand sanitizer as well as other goods including toilet paper and bleach. Why is the big question. Are people scared they will be quarantined? Are people washing themselves in hand sanitizer?

While the panic is scary, and probably more scary than the actual virus, sales of hand sanitizer have seen a spike of 313% in just one week. According to data from Nielsen provided to CNBC Make It, the total U.S. dollar sales of hand sanitizer increased by 313.4% between February 22 and February 29.

New York has recognized how fast hand sanitizer is being sold and is starting to make its own with prison labor. On Monday, the state’s Governor Andrew Cuomo has introduced “New York State Clean,” a hand sanitizer manufactured by the state of New York in response to shortages of the alcohol- based substance.

The hand sanitizer is being produced at the Great Meadow Correctional Facility in Washington County, New York through a business called Corcraft.

Cuomo tweeted, “We’re hearing from local governments that acquiring hand sanitizer has been a real problem. NYS will immediately begin producing hand sanitizer ourselves — 100,000 gallons per week. We’ll provide it to government agencies, schools, the MTA, prisons, & others. #COVID19”

“We’re hearing from local governments that they’re having trouble getting it,” said Cuomo during a press conference.

“To Purell and Mr. Amazon and Mr. eBay, if you continue the price gouging, we will introduce our product, which is superior to your product.”

“It’s much cheaper for us to make it ourselves than to buy it on the open market,” Cuomo said.

Disclaimer: We have no position in any of the companies mentioned and have not been compensated for this article.