While fewer folks might have been looking to buy lotions and scrubs, Bath & Body Works has benefited from the demand for soaps and hand sanitizers as sales moved online in response to stores heeding the call to observe social distancing — in fact, web sales saw an increase of 85 percent over last year. Even with the temporary pandemic-induced closures, the chain had a respectable earnings quarter, and it expects its sanitizer lines to become a $300 million business this year from just $100 million last year (via CNN).
"We do believe that that portion of the business especially will continue to grow rapidly as again sanitizer is now something that will likely be part of all of our daily routines for the months and years ahead," CEO Andrew Meslow told the company's investors, when they reported earnings for the first quarter of this year (via Today).
