Hand sanitiser products have been selling for more than 5,000% of their recommended retail price online, with bottles worth 49p selling for £24.99 as consumers respond to coronavirus fears
One eBay listing has seen a second-hand bottle of liquid soap sell for more than £5 - despite being only three-quarters full.
The listing for the Lacura hand soap, which had a starting price of 99p, has had 13 bids, with the top bidder currently paying £4.20, plus £1.09 postage.
Other listings have seen a pack of two Carex Aloe Vera Hand Gel Antibacterial Sanitiser (50ml) listed for £25. That particular seller has already sold 14 multipacks of the gel for £10 per pair.
Liberty Marketing analysed the UK's biggest supermarkets and health stores to see how much more own brand hand sanitisers are being sold for on eBay compared to in-store and found Lidl 49p sanitisers are selling for as much as £24.99 online.
Morrison's £2 hand sanitiser is being sold for £29.99 - a 1,400% increase.
Those listing Tesco's own hand sanitisers are still making a 1,100% profit, despite it being the lowest percentage increase out of them all. The Tesco Health Antibacterial Hand Gel (50ml) is just 75p in-store and is being sold for as much as £9 on eBay.
Other supermarkets included in the research include Asda with a 2,629% increase and Morrisons with a 1,400% increase, while Sainsbury's did not sell its own brand.
However, health and beauty retailers were also analysed including Savers with a percentage increase of 2,525%, Boots with an increase of 1,899% and Superdrug with an increase of 1.538%.
While undertaking the research, Liberty Marketing found every store, bar Superdrug, has sold out of hand sanitiser.
Read More
HR manager at Liberty Marketing Emily Webb said: "We, as a business, have been supplying extra anti-bacterial gels and tissues to all members of staff and ordering more than our standard batch, so it is no surprise that eBay sellers are seizing this opportunity to make some more money.
"Every business and individual should be taking extra measures to tackle personal hygiene and prevention of illnesses in the office and elsewhere."
The anti-bacterial soap has sold out across the country, as shoppers have flocked to get their hands on a bottle.
The competition watchdog has warned retailers and traders they must not try and "take advantage of people" concerned about the outbreak of coronavirus.
Officials at the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said they would take strict action, and anyone trying to inflate prices could be fined under competition laws.
The number of people diagnosed with coronavirus in the UK as of 7am on Saturday has risen to 206 from 163 at 9am on Friday, the Department of Health said.
Hand sanitising gel is being stolen by visitors to Northampton General hospital on a daily basis as demand for the product grows amid the spread of coronavirus.
Hospital bosses said three wall-mounted dispensers have been ripped off, while visitors have used the hospital's supply of sanitiser to "top up" their own bottles.
MORE ABOUT