In reaction to the Coronavirus pandemic, LVMH will use three of its perfume and cosmetics factories to produce hydroalcoholic gels to deliver of charge to the French health authorities.
The luxury goods group – whose wine and spirits brands include Moët & Chandon, Krug, Veuve Clicquot, Hennessy and Château d’Yquem – is offering help to fight the country’s coronavirus outbreak which has recorded 120 deaths to date in France.
‘Through this initiative, LVMH intends to help address the risk of a lack of product in France and enable a greater number of people to continue to take the right action to protect themselves from the spread of the virus,’ reads a statement from the group.
‘LVMH will use the production lines of its perfume and cosmetic brands to produce large quantities of hydroalcoholic gels from Monday. LVMH will continue to honour this commitment for as long as necessary, in connection with the French health authorities,’ it added.
This week there are plans to produce 12 tonnes of hand sanitiser across three French sites which usually make high-end perfumes including Givenchy and Christian Dior.
Reacting to the news Paris hospitals chief Martine Hirsch told global news agency AFP: ‘I wish to thank LVMH for acting so quickly: they made us this offer on Saturday night and confirmed it on Sunday.’
Paris hospitals have not run out of hand gel yet but supplies are ‘strained’ and a handful of other companies are also ready to donate supplies.
Last week, the UCG announced that the Bordeaux 2019 primeurs tasting week would not take place at the end of the month as planned.
