On the 13th of November, Uniwipe will be joining many others in support of World Kindness Day, an initiative that represents the importance of being kind to one another, the planet and ourselves.
With the cost of living rising, consumer goods and energy prices have now reached an all-time high. The rise in the annual rate of inflation has had a serious effect on households throughout the UK and many people are struggling to afford the bare essentials including household cleaning items.
At Uniwipe, we want to raise awareness of the issues people are facing and do our bit to help make a difference for those currently experiencing the devastating impact of hygiene poverty.
This prominent issue has been made worse following the current economic conditions, which is why we’ve decided to donate more than 400 packets of wipes to various charities which support low income households.
What is hygiene poverty?
Hygiene poverty is a situation in which an individual is not able to afford necessary hygiene and sanitation products. In an article published by the BBC, it is said that this situation currently affects 3.2 million adults across the UK, alongside millions of others across the world.
The heartbreaking reality for those with low income is that it restricts the options available to them, often leading them to make the painful decision between putting food on the table, paying rent and buying cleaning products.
Not only does hygiene poverty have a negative impact on mental health but it also has a detrimental effect on physical health too. Living conditions which are unclean or damp can have serious implications on health leading to illness and disease. The BBC article also states that a survey found “those experiencing hygiene poverty were most likely to go without shaving products, laundry detergent, household cleaning items and deodorant”.
How does the cost of living crisis impact hygiene poverty?
With inflation and energy bills skyrocketing – hitting the highest they have been in 40 years, many households across the country are struggling.
Data from The Office of National Statistics (ONS) shows that the consumer price index (CPI) has increased by 10.1% in the past 12 months leading to September 2022. This puts a significant amount of pressure on households, triggering some people to fall into hygiene poverty as they cannot afford to buy everyday essentials such as soap, wipes and toothbrushes.
What is Uniwipe doing to help?
Our aim this World Kindness Day is to raise awareness of this global issue and show how we can support those in need. The above research carried out between YouGov, Hygiene Bank and published by the BBC, clearly highlights that those experiencing hygiene poverty were likely to go without household cleaning supplies. At Uniwipe, we’re passionate about making our product more accessible and we want to help people access the necessary cleaning supplies needed to keep their living conditions clean and sanitary.
Therefore, on November 13, we will be donating 400 packs of our Clinical wipes across five different foodbanks located in South Wales, North England, Midlands & East, West London, and South London.
These foodbanks not only provide meals for lower income households to help prevent food poverty, but they also package hygiene and household items to further assist families in these areas. By donating our clinical wipes, we’ll be helping people live in a cleaner environment, which will have a positive impact on their health and wellness.
Not only are the wipes an effective way of cleaning different parts with a 99.999% bacteria kill rate, they’re a convenient solution for those with limited household cleaning products. Suitable for most surfaces, the wipes can be used to clean all rooms round the house as well as bathrooms and kitchens for thorough sanitisation to protect families from germs.
All of our wipes are compliant with relevant industry standards and these Clinical wipes in particular are tested to EN14476 and EN16615 which demonstrates the effectiveness of wipes against both viruses and bacteria, including coronavirus.
What else can be done to help limit hygiene poverty?
This global issue needs more awareness and support and there are multiple ways for people to help those currently struggling with hygiene poverty, from single or monthly donations to product donations or volunteering.
If you have the means to donate items then ‘The Hygiene Bank’ is a fantastic charity that works towards helping those experiencing hygiene poverty.
To find out more on how you can help, visit the link below.
