Beauty manufacturer Creightons shifts production to make hand sanitiser

By

Barbara Santamaria

Published
Mar 26, 2020

Peterborough-based Creightons has become one of the latest beauty companies to shift its production lines to make hand sanitiser.

The company, which is listed on the London Stock Exchange, is behind various skincare and haircare brands, and operates a direct-to-consumer business online.

According to local press, Creightons has brought in additional manufacturing capacity specifically for sanitisers and hand-washing products.

The company is responding to unprecedented demand for hand sanitiser across the UK following official advice that people should regularly wash their hands to combat the coronavirus outbreak.

Stocks of hand gels and alcohol wipes are running low across supermarkets and pharmacies due to panic buying, with many consumers struggling to procure these essential products.

Creightons managing director Bernard Johnson said: “We have switched production out of our traditional hair and beauty ranges into the now-critical product of sanitant. Whilst the price of core raw materials has in some cases tripled, we have been able to find work-arounds and are successfully sourcing alternative component product.

“The UK Government, though, needs to ensure that suppliers of raw materials, and especially alcohol, are likewise stepping up to the plate and running productions lines at full capacity.”

Creightons, which reported revenues of £40 million in 2019, produces beauty brands including Body Bliss, Feather & Down and Humble Natural Beauty. 

Coty, Estée Lauder Cos, LVMH and Unilever have joined wider efforts to help with the shortage of hand sanitiser during the pandemic, while various gin distilleries in the UK have switched their production to make emergency supplies of the product.