PositiveNewsCorner

Based on inputs by Shahid

The government on Friday capped prices of hand sanitizers while Hindustan Unilever moved to reduce prices of products under its Lifebuoy and Domex brands. This is yet another example of government and the private sector are fighting together the rapidly spreading coronavirus.

Ram Vilas Paswan the minister of Consumer affairs tweeted that the government has capped the price of a 200 ml hand sanitizer bottle at ₹100 and prices of other pack sizes of hand sanitizers will correspond with this. Similarly, price of a 2 ply (surgical) mask is to be capped at Rs8 and that of 3 ply (surgical) mask at ₹10. The price limits will be in force till 30 June, the government said in a release.

Earlier this month, the government had declared sanitizers and masks “essential commodities” to prevent hoarding and price manipulation of such goods. Thursday, it placed price limits on alcohols used in making hand sanitizeers.

In a separate announcement today, HUL said it is cutting prices of personal care and home hygiene brands—Lifebuoy sanitizer, liquid hand wash and Domex floor cleaners—by 15%. The company in a statement said “We are commencing production of these reduced priced products immediately and these will be available in the market in the next few weeks,”.

HUL hiked prices of its soap brands including Lux, Lifebuoy, Dove, Hamas, Liril and Pears by 5% to 6% earlier this year to mitigate rising input costs.

To meet the surging demand in the market, HUL has also ramped up the production of Lifebuoy sanitizers, Lifebuoy hand wash liquid and Domex floor cleaners and is committed to scaling it up even further in the coming weeks, the company said in its statement.

HUL said it is pledging Rs100 crore towards fighting the deadly coronavirus in India.

The company said it will also donate 20 million pieces of Lifebuoy soaps in the next few months “to the sections of the society which need it the most.” The FMCG company will partner with medical institutions and provide them free supplies of sanitation and hygiene products.

HUL will donate ₹10 crores to upgrade the health care facilities in testing centres and hospitals.