It’s no secret that hand soap and sanitizer sales are surging as a result of COVID-19 and, as reported on Columbus Business First this morning, even with the close of many of its stores, Bath & Body Works is scheduled to see a huge spike in sales due to the demand.
According to Andrew Meslow, CEO of parent L Brand Inc., the company sold “about $100 million in soaps and sanitizers last year, and it expects that business could double or even triple in the coronavirus pandemic.”
Typically, soaps and sanitizer make up approximately 14 percent of Bath & Body Works’ overall business; the brand reported 20 percent comparable sales in the first quarter of 2020.
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“With the crisis that’s occurred and the focus on safety, that business is clearly an essential part of our customers’ daily routine and so we were already a market leader in that category,” Meslow said.
Meslow also noted that online sales, which prioritized sanitizers and soaps, surged 85 percent in the quarter, and net sales of online products are up 60 percent in March and 150 percent in April.
In addition, the company has reopened select stores across the country, sharing in their Safe Shopping Guidelines “Frequently Asked Questions” that they have been fielding inquiries about how many germs the products kill—while upping production on the hand sanitizer front.
“Our Hand Soaps are effective at getting rid of germs when you properly wash for 20 seconds or more,” B&BW shared on its site. “The active ingredient in our antibacterial hand-sanitizer products is alcohol, ranging from 68–72 percent…our Pocketbac hand sanitizer kills 99.9 percent of most common germs.”
