‘Be Cautious’: Advice From The CHSA When Buying Cleaning And Hygiene Products
When the coronavirus pandemic hit, buyers needed large quantities of hand sanitisers, gloves, soft tissue and aprons, and they needed it fast. With demand booming and little time for detailed due diligence, rogue traders had a golden opportunity. And it’s one they are still capitalising on today. The challenge for buyers is to differentiate between the unscrupulous but apparently credible companies and those trading ethically.
Lorcan Mekitarian, Chairman of the Cleaning & Hygiene Suppliers Association has some straightforward advice.
Demand for cleaning and hygiene products soared when the coronavirus pandemic hit. Whether it was aprons, gloves, hand sanitisers, products for cleaning hard surfaces or soft tissue, people needed more, and they needed it immediately. The unscrupulous made the most of the opportunity. They created new businesses overnight, claiming expertise, knowledge and product excellence.
The UK hand sanitiser market has been described as a ‘wild west’, organisations with no relevant track record, turning to the production of alcohol hand gels.
Shiploads of products like masks and gowns have been rejected as not fit for purpose, a consequence of the increase in imported Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) with fake or no CE marking. The CE certification mark indicates conformance with European Union health and safety and environmental protection directives.
There have been extraordinary claims about cleaning chemicals, including cleaning once with a hard surface sanitiser will keep a surface sterile for days. It sounds perfect, but it’s only true in laboratory conditions. New methods of application, including fogging and misting, have been described as the panacea but the evidence suggests they are more about the drama of cleaning and hygiene. Buyers and users need to look behind the headline claims.
Our advice to buyers of cleaning and hygiene products who want to avoid these problems is simple. ‘Be cautious.’ We recommend:
- Be sceptical about product clams. It if sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
- Ask for evidence to back up product claims. The manufacturer should be willing and able to show you data sheets or other relevant evidence to support the claims made for the product.
- Ask for the CE declaration and any other test reports to show conformance to specification.
- Buy from a reputable supplier with a track record. Getting customer references is always a good idea.
At the CHSA, we operate Accreditation Schemes for manufacturers of paper-based and woven, plastic-based, and cotton-based products, and for manufacturers of cleaning and hygiene chemicals. We also operate an Accreditation Scheme for Distributors of cleaning & hygiene products.
Every CHSA member has also signed our rigorous Code of Practice. It requires them to “maintain a high standard in the conduct of its business”.
The combination of our Code of Practice and Accreditation Scheme membership means every member:
- Trades ethically and sustainably;
- Provides quality, fit for purpose products; and
- Makes sure what’s on the box is what’s in the box.
Our commitment to standards is underpinned by Independent Inspection. An auditor, an experienced quality assurance professional, visits every member to ensure compliance.
Applications for membership have soared since the beginning of the pandemic, new businesses trying to gain credibility. We know membership is a stamp of approval, so we are thorough in our process of accepting new members. We conduct compliance checks and require references. The inspector visits once they pass these initial checks. They are accepted as a member only once they have his approval.
If you want to buy from an ethical business with a respected track record in providing good quality cleaning and hygiene products, look for the CHSA logo and CHSA Accreditation Scheme mark.
The CHSA’s Accreditation Schemes
Accredited Manufacturers:
All CHSA manufacturing members commit to making sure the labelling on every product clearly indicates dimensions and quantity, guaranteeing ‘what’s on the box is what’s in the box’.
In specific, each Scheme ensures manufacturers:
Of paper-based and woven products guarantee the dimensions and count of every product and other required information is as indicated on the label.
Of plastic-based products guarantee they are fit for purpose and the dimensions and count and other required information are as indicated on the label.
Of cotton-based products guarantee the weight, absorbency and, where relevant, the cotton content. They also guarantee the dimensions and count and other required information are as indicated on the label.
Of cleaning and hygiene chemicals guarantee the product volume and other required information is as specified on the label and fully supported by relevant test data. In addition, they guarantee the containers and plastic bottles holding the chemical products are recyclable and clearly marked with the relevant recycling symbol.
Accredited Distributors:
Each has committed to buy cleaning and hygiene products from a CHSA Accredited Manufacturer. They also guarantee cleaning and hygiene products not covered by a CHSA Accreditation Scheme for Manufacturers conforms to the clear and rigorous commitments within the Code of Practice.
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