Bug-spray makers are prepping for a bump in sales as Zika fears grow.
The manufacturers of major insect repellents such as Off and Coleman are ramping up production in anticipation of increased demand from U.S. customers once mosquito season hits during the spring and summer months.
Zika, which is primarily transmitted through mosquito bites, has been linked to major birth defects in Brazil and cases have spread so rapidly throughout the Americas that the World Health Organization declared the virus a public health emergency earlier this week. At least 30 Americans have been diagnosed with Zika after returning home from countries that have had outbreaks.
So far the virus is not spreading locally within the U.S., though one person contracted it through a sexual partner who had visited Venezuela.
Yet, retailers and suppliers are still gearing up for an expected increase in demand. Wisconsin Pharmacal, the licensee of Coleman-branded insect repellents, has invested in practically another year's worth of product — everything from aerosol cans to spray formula ingredients to end-of-aisle retail displays — to get ahead of the pest problem.
"Unquestionably we’ll see some increased demand and are already seeing that now with some of our major retail partners reaching out saying, 'Hey are you positioned with displays? Are you stocked well enough?'," says Andrew Wundrock, senior vice president of sales and marketing for Wisconsin Pharmacal.
S.C. Johnson, the maker of the Off brand, plans to have its factories running at full capacity by the end of the month, an unusually-high production schedule for this time of year, says Kelly Semrau, senior vice president of corporate affairs and sustainability.
"We have purchased more components and more ingredients than we would ever have at this point," she says. The company has experienced significantly higher orders from retail customers in southern states at this point in time compared to the same time last year. It expects that ordering trend to soon spread to more northern states.
Spectrum Brands, the maker of Cutter and Repel repellents, has received requests from retail partners to move up orders so that stores will be stocked earlier in the season, says Eric Kenney, vice president of marketing in Spectrum’s home and garden division. It has also secured commitments from its suppliers to be able to meet increased demand if it arises.
Avon, maker of Skin So Soft Bug Guard, is "taking the necessary steps to ensure that we have a continuous supply of our Bug Guard products," says company spokeswoman Lindsay Fox.
While there is no cure for Zika, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends those traveling to Zika-infected areas use Environmental Protection Agency-registered bug repellents.
Repellents with the active ingredient called DEET are generally considered the most effective at keeping mosquitos at bay, says Spectrum Brands vice president Kenney, though Consumer Reports has found sprays with other active ingredients like picaridin are also highly effective and can have milder side effects.
Most people who get Zika show no symptoms or minor symptoms such as muscle pain or a headache. But widespread concern has arisen due to the potential link of the virus to thousands of cases of microcephaly in Brazil, which causes babies to be born with severe birth defects. Some South American countries have even urged women not to get pregnant until more is known about the virus.
Contributing: Liz Szabo
Follow Hadley Malcolm on Twitter @hadleypdxdc.
