Condoms are getting more expensive And demand keeps growing

Using condoms today is not just about prevention, it’s about household economics. In fact, the war in the Middle East continues to cripple markets, even impacting national healthcare systems. The world’s leading condom manufacturer, Karex Bhd, has forecast a price increase of 20% to 30%, with even higher rises if tensions with Iran continue to disrupt the global supply chain. Combined with a surge in demand for condoms, the only solution seems to fall on consumers. So will we stop using condoms?  No, quite the opposite: for fear of running out, consumers are stocking up.

A demand that is hard to meet

The increase in condom prices is an inevitable consequence of the current geopolitical crisis, whose effects are also impacting major companies such as Karex Bho, which produces over 5 billion condoms per year and supplies leading brands like Durex and Trojan, as well as national healthcare systems such as the United Kingdom’s NHS and global aid programs run by the United Nations.

«The situation is extremely fragile, prices are high. We have no choice but to pass current costs on to customers,» said Goh Miah Kiat, CEO of Karex Bhd. This crisis also coincides with a surge in condom demand of around 30%, a figure that may seem counterintuitive during a time of crisis but can be explained by a familiar phenomenon seen in other sectors: consumers stockpiling products out of fear of shortages. The result is a chain reaction that further intensifies pressure on supply. For instance, Karex shipments to destinations such as Europe and the United States now take nearly two months to arrive, compared to one month previously.

Since the beginning of the conflict through the end of February, Karex has seen rising costs across the board, from synthetic rubber and nitrile used in condom production to packaging materials and lubricants such as aluminum foils and silicone oil. As a result, the condom manufacturer joins a growing list of companies, including medical glove producers, preparing for supply chain bottlenecks, as the war in Iran puts pressure on energy and petrochemical flows from the Middle East, disrupting access to raw materials.

Karex can consider itself relatively fortunate, as it currently holds sufficient inventory for the coming months, although it is attempting to increase production to meet rising demand, since global condom stocks have dropped significantly following major cuts to foreign aid spending, particularly from the USAID last year.

Will we stop using condoms?

"More and more products are currently stuck on ships that have yet to reach their destinations, despite being urgently needed," Goh concluded, highlighting that many developing countries are facing shortages due to extended delivery times. He added that many of these countries do not have sufficient stock, as it takes time for products to reach them. Beyond condoms, this situation represents a real wake-up call, because what is often overlooked is that these are medical devices, and therefore essential. If even Karex, a leading company in the sector, is beginning to feel the effects of the conflict, it is clear that the scope of its consequences goes far beyond expectations, affecting even smaller markets. If the war in Iran is already creating a domino effect across markets, we may need to start questioning which needs will be the next to be sacrificed.