No-alcohol sanitiser firm Byotrol rubs its hands

An official report paving the way for the wider use of alcohol-free hand sanitiser has given a ‘powerful’ boost to British firm Byotrol, its directors said. 

A Government task force said earlier this month that guidance on the use of non-alcohol sanitisers was ‘confusing’ and should be reviewed to provide ‘a level playing field’ with alcohol-based products. 

AIM-listed Byotrol, which is advised by Tory MP Iain Duncan Smith, said official guidelines had put off potential customers. 

Rubbing its hands: Byotrol, which is advised by Tory MP Iain Duncan Smith, said official guidelines had put off potential customers

Hand sanitiser makes up a third of Byotrol’s business, with the remainder coming from surface cleaners. It provides the NHS with 92 per cent of its non-alcohol sanitiser under its label Invirtu and also makes Boots own brand. 

Alastair Demick, head of business development, said: ‘Reviewing [the guidelines] and providing clarity for consumers and businesses required to provide hand sanitiser across education, workspaces and retail is powerful. People pay attention to it. It is a positive move.’ 

Byotrol, which has a turnover of £11million a year and employs 35 staff, provides an alternative for those who find that alcohol-based products cause skin irritation, people who prefer to avoid alcohol on religious grounds and those in secure units where alcohol is restricted. 

David Traynor, chief executive, said: ‘The global hand sanitiser market is north of $2billion (£1.5billion) a year of which alcohol-free is a tiny percentage. We do informal surveys that lead us to believe probably a quarter of people would prefer not to use alcohol on skin.’