Chivas Brothers, the Scotch whisky business of Pernod Ricard, has ramped up production of hand sanitiser for frontline NHS staff battling coronavirus.

It has already begun the transportation of two tankers of Strathclyde grain spirit as part of an initial donation of 100,000 litres of pure alcohol to manufacturing partners who will use it to produce 120,000 litres of much-needed hand sanitiser gel for frontline NHS staff across the Scotland, England and Wales.

The company also received a consignment of 4,000 litres of hand sanitiser gel ready to be packaged at its bottling plant in Kilmalid, Dumbarton.

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This delivery will be joined next week by a further 15,000 litres of hand sanitiser gel produced at Pernod Ricard’s Plymouth Gin distillery in England.

After packaging, the hand sanitiser will be distributed to frontline healthcare workers across Scotland and to communities in the Dumbarton area.

Chivas Brothers will start packaging hand sanitiser today, starting with 1,000 litres per day and monitoring needs over the coming weeks.  

Jean-Christophe Coutures, Chivas Brothers chief executive, said: “Combatting Covid-19 requires a collective effort from everyone. 

The Big Issue is to be sold in Co-op stores in a boost to sales of the magazine since vendors stopped selling it on the streets because of the coronavirus crisis.

The move follows a similar announcement by Sainsbury's and McColl's, which are both now stocking the weekly magazine, the first time this has happened in The Big Issue's 29-year history.

READ MORE: Irn Bru maker sees sales plunge amid coronavirus lockdown

The Big Issue stopped being sold on the streets last month to safeguard its network of vendors.

The Co-op said it will sell the magazine in up to 2,600 outlets in towns, villages and cities across the UK.

Russell Blackman, managing director of The Big Issue, said: "We are delighted with the support from the Co-op, which operates at the heart of communities across the UK.

"The money raised will help to secure the future of the magazine and make a real difference to the lives of our vendors around the country."

Matt Hood, Commercial Director of the Co-op, said: "Inclusivity is at the heart of our culture and this is an example of us all cooperating and pulling together to help those most in need during this unprecedented time - every copy sold will make a difference."

Copies of the magazine can also be bought online or through a subscription.

The head of Jaguar Land Rover has written to customers spelling out how the car giant is helping to deal with the coronavirus crisis.

Professor Sir Ralf Speth said few people can remember a time when families, businesses and public services all over the world were under such pressure.

READ MORE: Scottish economic output tumbles 

The chief executive said the health of JLR's workers across the world was the firm's main concern, adding: "Please be assured the Jaguar Land Rover family is helping wherever possible. Across the world we are offering our advanced computing facilities and design and engineering skills.

"We're manufacturing thousands of protective face visors per week for frontline health workers and loaning our vehicles to the national and international efforts to beat this virus.

"We've already sent more than 300 Jaguars and Land Rovers to support emergency response organisations around the world, and our new Defender has gone straight into action, with a 27-strong fleet joining the Red Cross to reach vulnerable people in the UK.

"My colleagues around the world leapt into action to donate protective equipment from our manufacturing sites, with masks and protective clothing going directly to frontline health service staff, along with more than 6,000 pieces of IT hardware for temporary hospitals.

"And other colleagues have banded together to make significant financial donations to charities working to tackle this unprecedented crisis."

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