Complacency or higher vaccination numbers? Truth behind decrease in sale of sanitisers, multivitamins in India

According to data analysed by a leading daily, the sale of sanitisers has gone significantly down, along with that of multivitamins, indicating that citizens are getting complacent as the deadly second wave of COVID-19 is dying down. Data shows that the sale of hand sanitisers dropped from Rs 77.5 crore in May to Rs 47 crore in August - a 40% fall. April-May 2021 was a time when the second wave was at its peak in India. 

The data is verified by AIOCD-AWACS, the research wing of the All India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists (AIOCD). The data clearly showed that during the peak pandemic, in May 2021, the sale of sanitiser jumped over 400% compared to May 2020. 

Notably, India had recorded 43,000 coronavirus cases in May 2020, and on May 6, this year, India's COVID-19 second wave peaked at 4,14,188 new cases. 

According to experts, the significant decrease in the number of new cases and citizens getting vaccinated swiftly is one of the main reasons behind the sales drop. 

Speaking about the same, Sheetal Sapale, President (Marketing) at AIOCD-AWACS, told News 18, "The sales of santisers and multivitamins had zoomed during the first and second waves. However, the data shows that the sales have started going down after crossing the peak of the second-wave in May. While people continue to be careful about the hygiene aspect, the paranoia has died down. Hence, there is no hoarding of."

She further added, "Also, the vaccination drive in the country has picked up, which means the majority of Indians have taken at least one shot of the COVID-19 vaccine. This has created a general sense of protection against COVID in recent times." 

Meanwhile, on Tuesday, India reported 18,346 new COVID-19 cases, the lowest single-day rise in 209 days. So far, 90 crore people have been vaccinated against the deadly virus as well.