Cleaning Products Continue to Be Produced Without Interruption

Coronavirus outbreak has driven demand across many products, from cleaning supplies to food. Experts recommend frequent handwashing with soap and water as a preventive measure against the virus. Where soap and water are unavailable, hygiene can be maintained with disinfectant cologne and hand sanitizer gels. Bleach stands out as the most effective solution for cleaning homes and communal spaces. M. İmer Özer, Chairman of the Board of PLAT Private Label Products Manufacturers and Suppliers Association, issued a statement noting that demand for food, personal hygiene and cleaning products has increased, but there is no cause for panic. Özer stressed that production continues uninterrupted and emphasized the importance of consumers purchasing only what they need. PLAT Private Label Products Manufacturers and Suppliers Association, which counts among its members companies producing private label goods across many product categories—from food to personal care and cleaning products—found on market shelves, stated in its announcement that no supply issues have occurred and stocks are adequate. The statement underscored that companies continue uninterrupted production to keep market shelves stocked, clarified that there is no cause for panic, and urged consumers to purchase only what they need. PLAT Association Chairman M. İmer Özer said, "Demand has surged significantly for cleaning and hygiene products such as soap, cologne, hand sanitizer gels and bleach, alongside food items like flour, pasta and legumes. We are experiencing extraordinary days in which demand for these cleaning products has reached ten times normal levels as a precautionary measure against coronavirus risk. In response to rising demand, our member companies continue uninterrupted production to keep market shelves stocked.

We want to emphasize that there is no cause for panic and we ask our people to purchase only what they need during this period."

Özer added, "As experts also advise, we must pay close attention to hand hygiene against coronavirus. Let us wash our hands frequently with soap and water. If we are outdoors and do not have the opportunity to wash our hands with soap and water, we should use cologne and antibacterial hand sanitizer gels. Hand sanitizer gels are a gelled form of liquid soap, with the gel effect provided by a chemical called carbopol. Ethyl alcohol and carbopol are imported products. It has become difficult to source these raw materials, which everyone is now demanding, but we believe supply will normalize within a short time. Our government is working to resolve supply issues with ethyl alcohol, which is contained in hand sanitizer gels, cologne and similar products and provides disinfectant effect, and we hope the problem will be resolved shortly.

Thanks to restrictions placed on exports of certain products and other measures taken, we foresee that the process will be managed without domestic stock problems.

For bleach, where demand has risen sharply like cologne and hand sanitizer gels, we have no import dependency for raw materials, so there are no issues with capacity and supply; production continues without interruption. Therefore, let us remain calm and purchase only what we need. More product is coming," he said. PLAT Association Chairman M. İmer Özer, noting that market workers and employees of companies working around the clock to maintain uninterrupted production during this period deserve recognition, concluded his remarks as follows: "Our healthcare workers are dedicating themselves to their duties during these difficult times. We express our thanks to them, applaud them and want them to know we stand with them. Just as our healthcare workers, I believe we must also recognize market workers faithfully serving during this period and our member companies and their employees working day and night to produce the products our people need. We will succeed in the fight against coronavirus through united effort."