The new “Channel Islands Seaweed Hand Sanitiser” which has been produced locally by two Guernsey companies is now available for sale and distribution to the general public.
The hand sanitiser was initially only available to health settings and essential workers in order to ensure the people who most needed the product received it first. With the first batches now delivered to those customers the product is now being out on general sale.
Anyone wishing to order the seaweed hand sanitiser should email sanitiser@stjohn.gg and the St John HealthCare shop will arrange delivery.
The product is only for delivery and is not on sale at the Rohais, so members of the public are asked not to visit the HealthCare shop or the ambulance station.
The 70% alcohol-based seaweed hand sanitiser was created by Guernsey Seaweed and the Channel Islands Liquor Company, which normally produces gin.
When the product was launched last month Stuart Place, Chairman of St John Ambulance Guernsey said: “The demand for hand sanitiser has been huge since the start of the coronavirus pandemic. The St John HealthCare Shop has been selling out of hand gel sourced from the UK as soon as it arrives in the shop. We are delighted to be working alongside Guernsey Seaweed and the Guernsey Liquor Company to support local enterprise and our wider community at a time of need.”
The hand gel uses a type of seaweed that is found in cosmetic products and is known for its moisturising properties. This type of seaweed is widely available locally from sustainable sources. The seaweed is mixed with 70% alcohol to create the product.
There has been a massive international demand for hand sanitiser, with a national shortage of products in the UK and sales in USA up more than 400%. The price and availability of raw ingredients has also soured due to the high demand. The cost of the Channel Islands Seaweed Hand Sanitiser is £20 a litre, which reflects the rising costs of the raw ingredients and the fact that it is an innovative product created by a local independent producer on a small scale. A small profit from the product will support the other community work of St John Ambulance Guernsey.