This archive report was first published on 18 May 2020.
Published on May 18, 2020, the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) has taken a bold step in ensuring the safety and quality of hand sanitizers in the market by banning eight brands.
The decision was reached after KEBS conducted quality tests, which revealed that the brands did not meet the required standards. As a result, the regulator has withdrawn the standardization mark permits from the manufacturers.
KEBS has directed the manufacturers to recall all substandard sanitizers from the market and institute corrective actions. The effectiveness of these actions will be confirmed by KEBS before the suspension of permits is lifted.
The eight brands in question are Alphax, Clean Essentials, G&L, Gentle Care, Lili, Msiri, Shi shi Natural, and Spotless Advanced. They are manufactured by various companies, including Kings Palace Ruiru, Virtuelle Products, Orange Pharma, Bidco Africa, Kenbrands International Company, Mafleva International Limited, Shishi Naturals, and Havana East African Trading Limited.
KEBS has also appealed to Kenyans to report substandard brands in the market via its initiative dubbed Wajibika na KEBS.
Sanitizer Craze ¶
Since the outbreak of COVID-19, hand sanitizers have become a staple both at home and at business establishments.
Two months ago, the Competition Authority of Kenya (CAK) ordered Cleanshelf Supermarkets to refund customers for overcharging for the product, which has been classified as an essential commodity.
The government itself embarked on manufacturing free hand sanitizers, which have ostensibly been distributed to Kenyans.
