LVMH obtains good samaritan status, supplying free hand sanitiser in France.

French luxury brand giant LVMH, just announced it will move three of its perfume factories into hydroalcoholic gel production this week. In efforts to help France contain the spread of COVID-19, the production lines of Christian Dior, Guerlian, and Givenchy, will manufacture and distribute free hand sanitizer to French health authorities.

Since the global spread of the deadly virus, countries have been struggling with dwindling supplies of hand sanitizers and protective masks. France has also been hit by panic-buying, seeing French pharmacies and grocery stores turning away customers due to exhausted supply. The country have also implements a ‘1 per customer’ rule in an attempt to curb the uneven distribution of the essential products.

French hospitals have stated they are struggling, with their supplies of the gel ‘strained’, and are in need of help.

LVMH decided to set up, offering three French locations for the production of the gel. This week they are set to produce twelve tonnes of the gel, delivering to 39 Paris hospitals at ‘no extra charge’.

“Through this initiative, LVMH intends to help address the risk of a lack of product in France and enable a greater number of people to continue to take the right action to protect themselves from the spread of the virus,” the company said in a statement.

French public officials have commended LVMH’s efforts, as the Paris hospital chief Martine Hirsch “thanking” LVMH for acting so quickly. Other French companies have announced they will echo LVMH admirable move.

France has now moved into stage 3 pandemic, closing all ‘non-essential’ public spaces in an attempt to contain the virus.