The Chamber of Labor (AK) has found large price differences for corona protection products such as mouth and nose protection masks and disposable gloves. A certified FFP2 mask without a valve costs from EUR 0.59 to EUR 5.69. For 10 disposable gloves you have to lay down from 0.22 to 7 euros. And 100 ml of disinfectant are available for between 0.74 and 26.33 euros.
From January 11th to 25th, the AK collected the prices of a total of 212 protective face masks, plastic and disposable gloves and disinfectants in the online shops of Bipa, DM, Müller, Billa, Interspar and five online pharmacies. AK consumer advocate Manuela Delapina stated in a broadcast on Tuesday: “The largest price difference for one and the same product is 366 percent.” The certified FFP2 face mask without valve from Hygiene Austria (1 piece) costs 0.59 euros (Bipa) in the cheapest case, but 2.75 euros in the most expensive (servusapotheke.at).
Since Monday, the FFP2 mask has been mandatory in many places to protect against the transmission of the coronavirus. The FFP2 masks are to be offered in supermarkets at cost price, some supermarkets distribute them free of charge. In the Bipa online shop, the cheapest FFP2 mask costs 59 cents each, 85 cents at dm and 99 cents at Müller. In the online pharmacies surveyed, the cheapest FFP2 masks now cost between 59 cents and 5.69 euros each.
The certified FFP2 mask without valve has “moved up” from a niche product in employee protection to a mass product as a result of the corona pandemic. Therefore, appropriate market controls by the Ministry of Economic Affairs are important to ensure that only CE-certified and correctly labeled FFP2 masks are sold in Austria, demands the AK.
