Givenchy to Make Hand Sanitisers Instead of Perfume

The novel coronavrus outbreak has left people scrambling for handwashes and hand sanitisers. Many shops around the world have run out of these as people buy them up in bulk. In France, the luxury perfume makers behind Louis Vuitton, Christian Dior, and Givenchy are stepping into fill the gap. They have announced that they are switching production lines in laboratories from perfume to hand sanitisers. The facilities where fragrances for Dior, Guerlain and Givenchy are produced will be used to make the hydroalcoholic gel starting Monday, March 16.

“LVMH will use the production lines of its perfume and cosmetic brands… to produce large quantities of hydroalcoholic gels from Monday,” the company said in a statement, according to a Reuters report. “These gels will be delivered free of charge to the health authorities.”

The hand sanitisers will go to French authorities and the Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, which collectively treats more than 8 million patients each year, starting this week. 

With the global shortage of alcohol-based sanitisers, this is a welcome move.

In the US, the FDA has also encouraged licensed pharmacists and physicians to create their own hand sanitizers to offset the rise of DIY-sanitisers.