Mask shops report rise in sales as Hong Kong heads into winter flu season and Covid cases climb
- Local mask brand Savewo sold 15 per cent more of the face coverings in December compared with month before, CEO Zen Ding says
- But other manufacturers are less confident about potential bump in business, saying end of mask mandate changed how people view need for them
Mask shops have seen an uptick in sales almost a year after Hong Kong ended its mandate on the face coverings as health authorities warned of the approaching winter flu season and the rising number of Covid-19 cases.
Local mask brand Savewo sold 15 to 20 per cent more of its products in December compared with the month before, the highest jump since the mandate was dropped in March last year, CEO Zen Ding on Friday said.
“Right after the mask mandate was cancelled, our sales plummeted by 60 per cent,” he said. “After the slump, it began to increase again in a gradual and stable manner.
“We expect the demand for masks will continue to increase in the coming months. People may slowly realise that they will fall ill easily when they do not put on masks and masking can protect themselves and their families. After all, Hong Kong is a densely populated city.”
The Centre for Health Protection on Thursday said the peak winter flu season was expected to arrive next week. It also pointed to a significant increase in the prevalence of Covid-19, based on the viral load in sewage samples and the number of infections.
