Hand sanitisers sold on online marketplaces make misleading claims and could fail to protect people from COVID-19, Which? tests reveal

Hand sanitisers sold on popular online marketplaces make misleading claims about alcohol content and risk leaving consumers unprotected against COVID-19 because they do not contain recommended levels, new Which? tests have revealed.

The consumer champion found that the worst offending hand sanitiser had an alcohol content of just 10 per cent, a fraction of the 75 per cent claimed – leaving people using it particularly exposed to bacteria and viruses.

For hand sanitiser to be effective at killing the COVID-19 virus, it should have 60 to 90 per cent alcohol content. In Which?’s latest research scientists put a range of 18 products available at high street retailers, supermarkets and online marketplaces to the test.

Three hand sanitisers bought from online marketplaces eBay and Etsy did not contain the percentage of alcohol that was claimed on either the product listing page or the packaging, and fell well short of the recommended levels for killing off viruses.

Klenzy Hand Sanitizing Gel, which was available for sale on eBay, claimed to have 75 per cent alcohol content, but Which? tests revealed people who had bought this product had been duped, as it contained just 10 per cent.

The VaidaMakeup Hand Sanitiser Gel (33% alcohol content), on Etsy, and Hansan Antibacterial Hand Sanitiser (35%), on eBay, were also misleading. Both contained around half of the 70 per cent alcohol levels that were claimed.

After Which? contacted eBay it said it had removed both the product listings that the consumer champion had flagged and that the sellers would no longer be permitted to sell hand sanitiser on the site.

The seller on Etsy told Which? that it had removed the listing and contacted all customers to warn them of the lower alcohol content in the sanitiser and to offer a full refund.

Which? has shared its findings with the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) for further investigation.

In the UK, hand gels should comply with EU Biocides Regulation 528/2012. They should be able to prove that the product matches the claims, so if a product makes a certain claim, such as it kills 99.9 per cent of bacteria, then it should fulfill that claim. However, meeting claims on alcohol content isn’t required to comply with the regulation.

Which? advises anyone who has these products to stop using them immediately and ask for a refund from the seller.

All of the hand sanitisers Which? tested from high street retailers and supermarkets, including Boots, Superdrug, Tesco, Waitrose and Wilko, passed Which?’s tests and had appropriate levels of alcohol content to kill viruses and bacteria – matching their stated claims.

Consumers might want to consider that the big brand products Which? tested from high street retailers and supermarkets all contained the recommended levels of alcohol, and that they could face more of a lottery if they are buying from lesser-known sellers on online marketplaces.

In contrast to eBay and Etsy, all of the seven hand sanitiser samples Which? tested that were bought from Amazon Marketplace did have the stated and required levels of alcohol content for killing germs.

A recent Which? survey found that seven in 10 (73%) members use an alcohol-based hand sanitiser and that, of those who buy hand sanitiser, the two most important factors are claimed effectiveness at killing germs (36%) and alcohol content (34%).

Which? believes these latest findings raise further question marks over the checks and monitoring carried out by online marketplaces. These platforms should enhance their checks before including sellers on their sites, taking strong action against those who make misleading claims.

Natalie Hitchins, Which? Head of Home Products and Services, said:

“It’s extremely concerning that hand sanitisers readily available on online marketplaces eBay and Etsy make misleading claims about alcohol content and could leave consumers unwittingly exposed to the COVID-19 virus.

“The good news is that our research shows that if you buy hand sanitiser from a known and trusted brand, it increases the chances of it doing what you need it to, but you could face more of a lottery if you are buying from lesser-known sellers on online marketplaces.”

Which?’s tips on using hand sanitiser effectively

• Use the correct type of sanitiser. Which? would recommend choosing one with 60-90 per cent alcohol content (ethanol or isopropanol) as it’s most effective against viruses like COVID-19.

• If it’s not possible to wash your hands, sanitise after touching any surfaces or items that could be contaminated, such as hand rails, doors or your face mask. Use enough hand sanitiser to cover the full surface area of your hands – not forgetting your wrists and nails.

• Rub it in for at least 20 to 30 seconds – or most importantly, until your hands are dry.

Notes to editors

• Video available for use: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QINaeny9BJo

• Which? surveyed 1,056 members of its online panel between 1st and 6th October 2020.

• The information in this press release is for editorial use by journalists and media outlets only. Any business seeking to reproduce information in this release should contact the Which? Endorsement Scheme team at endorsementscheme@which.co.uk.

Should you wish to include a linkback to Which?’s news story and full results in your copy, the following link will go live when the embargo lifts: https://www.which.co.uk/news/2020/12/hand-sanitisers-sold-online-fail-which-tests/

Rights of reply

eBay

“The two listings flagged by Which? have been removed, and we’ve taken the appropriate action on the sellers, who will no longer be permitted to sell hand sanitiser on eBay.”

Etsy

“Etsy is pleased the seller has removed the item from sale. We don’t have final control over sellers’ items but do ask they act with integrity as was the case here by them taking action once the issue was brought to their attention.”

Hansan / Klenzy/ VaidaMakeup

Which? approached the sellers of the Hansan and Klenzy products for comment and did not receive a response.

When Which? approached the seller for the VaidaMakeup hand sanitiser gel to share its findings, it told us that it has now removed the listing and contacted all customers to warn them of the lower alcohol content in the sanitiser and to offer a full refund.

Researchers were unable to find contact details for the manufacturers of these hand gels.

Why is alcohol important in hand sanitiser?

The alcohol found in hand sanitisers is usually ethanol, isopropanol or a mixture of the two. Alcohol destroys COVID-19 by dissolving its outer layer which inactivates it.

Ethanol is what you get in drinking alcohol, while isopropanol is what’s more commonly known as ‘rubbing alcohol’. However, rubbing your hands with vodka or gin is not going to be as effective as a proper hand sanitiser because the alcohol in standard spirits is closer to 40 per cent.

At the right percentage volume, starting from at least 60 per cent according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), alcohol is effective against bacteria and viruses.

However, if the hand sanitiser doesn’t contain a high enough percentage of alcohol, then it might not kill off the bacteria and viruses on your hands.

Failed for alcohol content

Three hand sanitisers bought from either eBay or Etsy did not contain the percentage of alcohol that was claimed on either the packaging or the product listing page.

These were:

• Hansan Antibacterial Hand Sanitiser

• Klenzy Hand Sanitizing Gel

• VaidaMakeup Hand Sanitiser Gel

Which? tested hand sanitisers for how much alcohol content they contained by weight. If the alcohol content were to be measured by volume, these percentage figures would likely be slightly higher but would still fall well short of recommended and claimed levels.

Which? tested a second sample of each of the hand sanitisers that failed and got results that were very similar (within 1.3% or less of each other for the two samples). The results in the table are for the sample with the lowest amount of isopropanol.

Passed for alcohol content

*Cuticura’s alcohol content converts to 66% ethanol by volume, which is above the 60% minimum requirement.

About Which?

Which? is the UK’s consumer champion, here to make life simpler, fairer and safer for everyone. Our research gets to the heart of consumer issues, our advice is impartial, and our rigorous product tests lead to expert recommendations. We’re the independent consumer voice that influences politicians and lawmakers, investigates, holds businesses to account and makes change happen. As an organisation we’re not for profit and all for making consumers more powerful.

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