Virus business boom cleans up profits
Published:Thursday | March 12, 2020 | 12:22 AM
A day after the confirmation of Jamaica’s first coronavirus patient, several merchants of bulk chemicals and other cleaning agents have been swamped with customers hunting essentials.
At Island Products Bulk Chemicals in Pembroke Hall, St Andrew, yesterday, retailers welcomed the buying euphoria COVID-19 brought while others expressed concern about widespread scarcity of stock.
“Local manufacturers are having a challenge. First and foremost, before coronavirus, people were requesting big-name brands like Lysol, but because those are scarce, they are leaning towards local manufacturers like myself,” a manufacturer of hand sanitiser told The Gleaner.
The manufacturer told our news team that she has been seeking out products since last Thursday in a bid to satisfy her clients.
“The thing is, we use more alcohol than what is used in Lysol, and because of that, customers always wanted my hand sanitisers. However, since last week Thursday, this location (Island Products Bulk Chemicals) don’t have any alcohol, and I need huge amounts to make my products,” she said.
“They are limiting how much gallons of alcohol each person can get, so, basically, each person can get two gallons, and I need more than 40 gallons today because of the demand of the clients.”
According to the manufacturer, her bottles of hand sanitiser were sold out. Her search – from Liguanea in eastern St Andrew to Clock Tower Plaza in Half-Way Tree – had not netted enough stock.
“Even down to the alcohol itself has gone scarce. You calling the headquarters as a manufacturer to say I need X, they are sending you to outlets, and when you come here, you are restricted to two gallons,” the buyer, who urged the Government to crack down on price-gougers, told The Gleaner.
None of the buyers were willing to reveal their names.
For a shopkeeper based in Duhaney Park, the news about the deadly virus and ensuing self-awareness among Jamaicans translated into a spike in profits. He is a regular customer at Island Products and was busy loading two barrels on to his van yesterday.
“Flu kill more people than corona, but a tru this is foreign, everybody a run up and down, but mi love it. Keeping my business alive. All three time for the week I have to come here and refill,” he said.
Yesterday, the health ministry reported a second patient in Jamaica with an imported case of COVID-19. Health and Wellness Minister Dr Christopher Tufton disclosed that the patient was a United States Embassy employee who recently returned from the United Kingdom.
The World Health Organization also declared COVID-19 a pandemic yesterday.