Healthcare-acquired infections boost sales of hand hygiene solutions in Western Europe, finds study

The need to prevent and control healthcare acquired infections (HCAI) across Europe, which results in 4.5–5m cases annually, is driving the hand hygiene market in Western Europe, finds research by Frost & Sullivan.

Outbreaks of norovirus and bird flu over the past five years have also highlighted the importance of hand hygiene in containing infectious diseases. Hand hygiene product manufacturers should take advantage of these trends by offering a one-stop solution for all disinfection requirements.

Frost & Sullivan’s Hand Hygiene Market in Western Europe research finds the market earned revenue of $415.4m in 2013 and estimates that this will reach $680.8m over the next five years. The research covers hand wash, hand disinfectant and surgical hand antisepsis products across the UK, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Benelux and Scandinavia.

Alcohol-based hand rubs are expected to become the most popular solution in the hand disinfectant and surgical hand antisepsis segments owing to their proven efficiency and ease of use.

'Adoption of hand hygiene compliance monitoring (HHCM) devices in hospitals across Western Europe is improving compliance levels considerably, thereby fuelling market revenues,' says Frost & Sullivan Healthcare Research Analyst Parthasarathy Raghava.

Adoption of hand hygiene compliance monitoring (HHCM) devices is improving compliance levels considerably

'The market will see a host of opportunities as automatic HHCM technology is integrated with most automated and manual dispensers to become a standard across all hospitals in the next five to seven years.'

Government initiatives such as World Health Organisation’s 'Clean Care is Safer Care' programme, which focuses on HCAI prevention and patient safety through the practice of hand hygiene techniques as well as the effective disinfection of the hospital environment, are also boosting uptake.

But market potential varies across the countries in Western Europe, the F&S study finds. Inadequate awareness, education and training on the significance of hand hygiene, along with the lack of standard regulations for hand hygiene in the healthcare sector are holding the market back.

'Manufacturers should offer a wide range of hand hygiene products at competitive prices to expand their customer base in Western Europe,' adds Raghava. 'They must also have a thorough understanding of the market dynamics and win the confidence of health authorities in each country so as to augment their market share across the region.'