Coronavirus: China’s online sales of disinfectant, hair care accessories, massage chairs increase as consumers stay at home

Restaurants, cinemas, hotels, and shops have all been forced to close because of the outbreak, while factories remain shut and some employees work from home

Air purifiers, disposable gloves and fresh vegetables also among the most popular, according to a survey by Chinese e-commerce firm Suning.com

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With more than 1.6 billion mobile customers, China has one of the most established infrastructures for online shopping, which analysts believe may help offset the impact of the outbreak. Photo: EPA

Published: 9:30am, 15 Feb 2020Updated: 9:30am, 15 Feb 2020

Online sales of disinfectant, hair care accessories, massage chairs, air purifiers, and disposable gloves have grown multiple times over the past few days as many Chinese consumers are forced to stay home because of the coronavirus outbreak.

Restaurants, cinemas, hotels, and shops have all been forced to close because of the outbreak, which has infected more than 60,000 people. There are also still restrictions in place which mean some factories remain shut, while some companies have asked their employees to work from home.

The outbreak has already triggered a global shortage for protective masks, with the Taiwan government saying on Thursday that it would extend its ban on the export of face masks to the end of April.

In addition to medical supplies, demand for disinfectant has also risen as Chinese consumers rushed to stock up on hand wipes and bleach.

According to a survey published on Friday by Chinese e-commerce firm Suning.com covering transactions conducted between February 10 and February 13, sales of disinfectant produced by Wewin rose 2,561 per cent, while another similar product by Dettol surged 643 per cent from the same period last year.

Sales of air purifying systems also saw a huge rise, jumping a 2,100 per cent from last year, while disposable glove sales went up 674 per cent. Sales of vitamin C, which can help prevent respiratory infections, increased by 401 per cent.