Clorox wipes won't be fully stocked in stores until 2021, CEO says

Clorox wipes have been a hot commodity since the pandemic started, leading to a shortage that will likely last for the rest of the 2020.

Clorox CEO Benno Dorer told Reuters store shelves won't be fully stocked with them until next year. He said the entire supply chain is stressed, and they just can't meet the high demand.

One issue is the material used to created the wipes, polyester spunlace, is also used to make masks and medical gowns. That is also in short supply.

The CEO said the company is working as quickly as possible to get wipes back on shelves. 

Sales at Clorox jumped 22% in its most recent quarter with millions of people growing more vigilant about cleaning routines in the pandemic. The company also announced Monday that Linda Rendle will become its CEO in September.

There was a 33% jump in sales withing the company division that sells cleaning products.

People have loaded pantries with disinfectant wipes and sprays, pushing overall sales up to $1.98 billion for the three months ended June 30. That’s up from $1.62 billion a year earlier.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.