"Coles supermarket workers worried about switch to non-alcohol hand sanitiser amid coronavirus pandemic", 19 April 2020

Coles staff have accused the supermarket giant of not providing the best possible protection against coronavirus after their complaints about the effectiveness of non-alcohol-based hand sanitiser were dismissed by the head office.

Employees have told the ABC they are concerned about Coles management's decision to switch from alcohol-based hand sanitiser to a non-alcohol-based product.

The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and Safe Work Australia recommend that workers use hand sanitisers containing 60 per cent alcohol, which are more effective at neutralising the coronavirus.

However, Coles has told staff the product it uses has been tested and protects against the virus.

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In a statement to the ABC, a Coles spokesperson said: "The safety of our team members and customers is our highest priority. Coles uses a number of different hand sanitiser products for use in our stores, including ethanol-based products."

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The manufacturer of the non-alcohol hand sanitiser provided at some Coles stores, Jasol, also told the ABC the product was tested and safe.

But Retail and Fast Food Workers Union secretary Josh Cullinan said the tests were not sufficient.

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