BACOLOD City – The Department of Trade and Industry-Negros Occidental welcomed the decision of stores in this province in limiting the volume of rubbing alcohol and hand sanitizers that customers may purchase amid the coronavirus disease 2019 scare.
According to Romel Amihan, head of Consumer Protection Unit of DTI-Negros Occidental, the self-regulation will prevent consumers from hoarding the said products.
Some consumers, however, have reportedly complained about stores imposing such limits.
“So far, there’s no panic buying in Negros Occidental, but a significant increase in the purchase of alcohol and hand sanitizers has been observed,” Amihan said.
On March 13, DTI-Negros reported that a huge supermarket here displayed shelves empty of rubbing alcohol stocks, although various brands of bar soaps were readily available.
The said establishment actually limits selling of rubbing alcohol to only three bottles per customer, based on the notices posted on its shelves.
In another shopping mall, meanwhile, its stores are limiting purchases of the said product to only two bottles per person.
Moreover, Amihan said stocks of face masks are still limited especially in pharmacies here. “Generally, there are no available stocks in the province now,” he said.
Whenever new stocks come in, they immediately run out due to high demand, he added.(With a report from PNA/PN)
