In the autumn of 2020, Kiilto carried out a study on the hygiene habits of people in the Nordic countries. According to the study, the coronavirus pandemic has significantly increased the use of hand disinfectant in Finland, Sweden, Norway and Denmark. However, when choosing a hand disinfectant, it is important to ensure that it actually kills viruses.
The coronavirus pandemic has increased the use of disinfectants in the Nordic countries, according to an online study conducted by Kiilto in the autumn of 2020. The purpose of the study was to learn how the coronavirus pandemic has changed hand hygiene among consumers, and what factors they consider important when choosing a hand disinfectant. The study was based on 4,056 responses and was carried out with consumers in Finland, Sweden, Norway and Denmark.
According to the study, hand washing was common among the respondents even before the pandemic, but the use of hand disinfectants has now become more common, especially when entering indoor and public spaces. Around 40 per cent of respondents said they disinfected their hands almost always when entering shared spaces such as shops before the coronavirus pandemic. During the pandemic, 87 per cent of respondents maintain this practice. For most of the respondents, good availability of hand disinfectant and being able to keep a safe distance from other people increases the feeling of safety in public places.
According to the survey, Norwegians use hand disinfectant the most, with 74 per cent replying that they always use it when entering public spaces, and 68 per cent saying they wash their hands or use hand disinfectant every time they enter indoor areas. Finns are also diligently maintaining good hand hygiene during the pandemic: 61 per cent of respondents in Finland always use hand disinfectant when entering public spaces, and 66 per cent wash their hands or use hand disinfectant every time they enter indoor areas. In addition, 47 per cent of all respondents said they also purchased hand disinfectants.
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According to the survey, the main criteria for choosing hand disinfectant are availability, proven effect against bacteria and viruses, and the quality of the ingredients used. The quality of hand disinfectant and its proven effectiveness against the coronavirus cannot always be taken for granted, however. Not all hand disinfectants on the market inactivate viruses equally effectively, so to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, it is important to ensure that the disinfectant used actually inactivates it. Kiilto’s personal hygiene products are made in cooperation with local healthcare professionals. They are also tested in accordance with European standards and are proven to be effective against bacteria and several types of viruses. The most important tests that are made for hand disinfectants are EN 1500 and EN 14476.
Of the respondents to the online survey, 83 per cent said they were fairly or very satisfied with the Kiilto products they used. The respondents gave Kiilto’s products a rating of 4.2 on a scale of 1 to 5.