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A Whanganui brewery has turned to producing hand sanitiser to stock local shops and pharmacies to help relieve the shortage during the Covid-19 lockdown.
Roots Brewing in Westmere started producing hand sanitiser for its own use three months ago on a small scale.
But Andy Henshaw from Roots Brewing said,since the lockdown, it had become a fairly obvious need.
"It's a very basic product," he said. "There's a demand for it and we are just trying to help.
The sanitiser is currently available at Gonville Health Pharmacy and Four Square Riverview, with Henshaw trying to stock as many places as he can.
"I'd like to see it in every pharmacy and dairy in town. Any of those services that are still open where people go and they need it, I'd like to get it there."
Roots Brewing are now supplying hand sanitiser to local stores. Photo / Supplied
Henshaw was looking to approach local courier services to deliver the sanitiser in both the Whanganui region and wider.
"They're local businesses and their business is down as well, so the more I can pump through them, the better for them, the better for everyone."
Since entering lockdown, Henshaw said they had lost 95 per cent of their business due to the closure of pubs and their cellar door.
Andy Henshaw from Roots Brewing is hoping to have their sanitiser in as many stores as possible. Photo / Bevan Conley
But making the sanitiser had little to do with profit, Henshaw said.
"For us, it's more about fulfilling a need, rather than replacing our income."
Roots Brewing opted for a 50ml refillable spray bottle for the sanitiser as it was portable and fits easily in a pocket, Henshaw said.
"You've always got it with you."
Four Square Riverview have a bulk drum of the sanitiser on-site where people can refill their bottles and Henshaw hoped they could produce enough so people could bring their containers to Roots Brewing and fill them up.
"We've still got the ethos of reduced packaging and reduced waste. So if we can re-use containers that people already have, that's a win."
