The packaging industry is traditionally associated with the protective packaging of products and items, not so much the packaging of people.
With the advent of coronavirus, many packaging companies – particularly those who specialise in plastic packaging – have switched their focus to what is normally a smaller part of their market: the manufacture of personal protective equipment (PPE).
Plastic-based PPE such as polythene aprons, perspex face guards and face masks made from woven and non-woven polypropylene – effectively packaging to protect people – has suddenly found itself in scarce supply over recent months.
The industry adapted relatively quickly with UK shortages addressed in the short-term by international packaging companies, such as Selegna Tekstil in Turkey – although not without well-publicised problems.
UK companies were also quick to increase production and invest in additional machinery to fill the gaps but now, as regulations on mandatory face coverings increase, there are fresh concerns over new pressure on face mask supplies.
Face coverings have been made compulsory on public transport and in hospitals in England from 15 June, whilst the British Medical Association – the doctors’ union – has urged the government to make the coverings mandatory whenever social distancing is not possible, not just on public transport.
Emerging studies [1] have also suggested that face masks can considerably reduce the spread of Covid-19, so pressure may yet increase further on the government to mandate the use of face coverings on a wider scale.
With the government advising the public to use regular face coverings – which can be homemade – rather than medical-grade ‘surgical’ face masks, does that mean there is a shortage of face masks?
Jon Lomax of Polybags Ltd, leading UK manufacturers of packaging including PPE products, said: “We have an excellent supply of three-ply surgical face masks and respirators and are even offering a discount at the moment. The supply chain is adapting to the added need for certain PPE products and surgical face masks, in particular, are now much more readily available to consumers.”
Other companies like Kite Packaging, Packaging2Buy and Amazon are also stocking face masks, although not all of these companies are displaying full certification for the masks on their websites. Amazon too has many market-place sellers, although customer reviews suggest delivery times of up to a month as delivery is often fulfilled directly from the sellers in China.
High street brands such as Boots have also entered the market and many new suppliers have sprung up to supply novelty and designer face coverings – although these generally do not offer the same properties of 95-98% bacterial and small particle filtration offered by certified face masks and respirators.
So what exactly are the new rules for face coverings on public transport?
In England the use of face coverings will only apply to passengers actually on public transport and not those who are waiting to board. However, the rail industry has said they will ask people to cover their face as they enter a station. Uber taxis have also made it mandatory for all passengers and drivers to wear face coverings.
At the time of writing, face coverings are not mandatory in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland, although each of the devolved governments recommend that members of the public wear face coverings on public transport and in other situations where it is difficult to maintain social distancing.
Footnotes:
[1] Timo Mitze, Reinhold Kosfeld, Johannes Rode, Klaus Wälde (2020), ‘Face Masks Considerably Reduce COVID-19 Cases in Germany: A Synthetic Control Method Approach’, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA DP No. 13319)
