Diageo pledges 2m litres of alcohol for hand sanitiser

Diageo has pledged to donated up to 2m litres of alcohol used in gin and vodka to make hand sanitiser for healthcare workers combating the coronavirus outbreak.

The maker of Smirnoff vodka and Gordon's gin said the grain neutral spirit, a 96% ethyl alcohol, was enough to make more than 8m 250ml bottles of sanitiser.

The FTSE 100 drinks company said it would make the spirit available in supply chains, working with authorities and sanitiser manufacturers to help overcome shortages as Covid-19 spreads. India, the US and the UK and Ireland will receive 500,000 litres each with 100,000 litres going to Italy and Australia. Other countries to benefit include Brazil and Kenya.

“Healthcare workers are at the forefront of fighting this pandemic and we are determined to do what we can to help protect them,” said Ivan Menezes, chief executive of Diageo. “This is the quickest and most effective way for us to meet the surging demand for hand sanitiser around the world.”

Diageo said working with local manufacturers and authorities would ensure the sanitiser reached the frontline as quickly as possible. Independent brewer BrewDog said on 18 March it would make hand sanitiser at its Scottish distillery and give the product away to those who need it.