Trust is a Key Issue for Consumers in Our New Era, by James Michael Lafferty, CEO Fine Hygienic Holding

As Sterilized Brand of the Decade 2020, and manufacturer of the #1 sterilized tissue in the world, Fine Hygienic Holding (FHH) is playing an instrumental role in best practice for hygiene. Here, FHH chairman James Michael Lafferty discusses changing attitudes among the general public, and how Fine is helping to drive change through a range of products that consumers can trust.

The Covid-19 pandemic has transformed the way we see the world.

From wearing masks in public places and regular hand-washing protocols, through to social distancing and working from home, the virus has brought a paradigm shift on society and our lives have changed fundamentally.

Parents are more aware of what their children are playing with, and what surfaces they are playing on. Individuals are more wary of their surroundings – no one wants to get sick, and no one wants to unwittingly bring illness to their families, friends or colleagues. We feel the need to wash our hands regularly, to protect ourselves from danger.

This may feel like a new phenomenon, but in fact it isn’t. My parents were children when the Spanish flu hit in 1918, and an estimated 20-50 million lost their lives worldwide.

Although that pandemic had a tragically high human and economic cost, it also had another impact – it created a generation of germophobes.

We may feel we are much more advanced now in terms of technology and our understanding of the world we live in, but you can bet your bottom dirham that this generation’s outlook has changed for good. Gone is our relaxed attitude, almost overnight. This generation has also become germophobe.

With that outlook, society needs products they can trust, and brands they can rely upon.

At Fine Hygienic Holding, one of the world’s leading wellness groups and the MENA region’s leading manufacturer of hygienic paper products, we take our responsibilities very seriously, and we have done for almost 60 years, striving to protect and improve the quality of life in all communities that we serve throughout the region.

There is already a bond of trust with our loyal customers. They depended on our products long before the pandemic struck, and continue to do so now, because we have always put hygiene and health front and centre with all our products and solutions.

Our beliefs and ideals at Fine Hygienic Holding resonate with consumers across the board. Now, more than ever, they feel the need to be selective about the products they are using to protect themselves and their families.

Tissues are a case in point, a prime example of where Fine products can be trusted by families.

Tissues are used around the eyes, nose, and mouth, key entry points on the body. By using ordinary, unsterilized tissues, consumers are needlessly exposing themselves to harmful bacteria and viruses.

Fine sterilized tissues remove that risk. Our extensive range of tissues, paper towels and toilet paper are all sterilized for germ protection.

Unlike ordinary tissues, every single piece of Fine tissue goes through a patented sterilization process. Our patented SteriPro™ technology uses ultraviolet light to destroy bacteria, viruses and other micro-organisms, producing a 99.99% sterilized product.

The whole process ensures a fully sterile and hygienic production environment, reducing the risk of exposure to any harmful bacteria and viruses.

In this era of Coronavirus, this process is more important than ever. Covid-19 can live on unsterilized tissues for up to three hours. So why wouldn’t you put your faith in a manufacturing process that sterilizes every single piece of tissue, to kill 99.9% of germs?

Through our best practice in production, our commitment to consumer wellness and the trust built up with our customers, we have received over 40 prestigious awards over the past 60 years, and 20 regional and global awards in 2020 – in a time of heightened hygienic awareness.

In fact, Fine was named “Sterilized Brand of the Decade 2020” by the Family Hygiene Institute (FHI), a prestigious collection of health and medical wellness professionals operating under the auspices and guidance of the Medical Wellness Association, who study and endorse best hygiene practice from around the world.

Based on the Group’s proven track record and its consistent focus on consumer wellness above all, Fine tissues has earned the title of No1 Sterilized Tissue in the World.

Wellness is a choice, and as a world expert on the matter, we have a commitment to providing our communities with products that are best for their families, in terms of protection, hygiene and wellness.

Our customers trust our products and know exactly what they are getting when they open a box of our tissues – a sterilized and germ-free product that will protect them and their nearest and dearest.

In a time of heightened awareness around hygiene, and fear of the unknown, products such as Fine tissues play an important role.

We all know the old saying that prevention is better than cure. In this era of uncertainty, choosing the right product is part of the battle. Protect your family with products you can trust – it’s the only choice.