The world's largest condom manufacturer has announced plans to raise prices by 20 to 30 percent, with potential for further increases, triggering a viral debate on Chinese social media about stockpiling. The hashtag 'condom prices rising' has garnered over 60 million views on platforms like Weibo, as the ongoing Iran crisis begins to impact everyday life, even extending to the bedroom.
Price Hike Announcement
Goh Miah Kiat, CEO of Malaysian condom maker Karex Bhd, stated the company intends to increase prices by 20-30 percent, with further rises possible if supply chain disruptions, exacerbated by the conflict in Iran, persist. Karex produces over 5 billion condoms annually and supplies leading brands such as Durex and Trojan.
Social Media Reaction
Many Chinese netizens expressed that elevated costs would not deter them from purchasing condoms for pregnancy protection, while others actively encouraged stockpiling. 'A few dozen yuan for a condom is a hundred times more cost-effective than raising a child at a million yuan,' said one user. Another added, 'From now on, not only will we have to be frugal, but we'll also have to stock up on condoms in advance.'
Demographic Pressures
The online conversations come as Chinese authorities implement policy measures to boost the country's flagging birth rate, which has been falling for decades. Last year, births hit a record low. The world's second-most populous nation saw its population shrink for the fourth consecutive year, with 7.92 million new babies born in 2025, a decline of 17 percent from the previous year.
Economic Factors
A price rise for condoms would add to the increasing cost of family planning in China. At the start of the year, China removed a three-decade-old tax exemption on contraceptive drugs and devices, subjecting condoms and contraceptive pills to a 13 percent value-added tax. Most families cite the costs and pressure of raising a child in a highly competitive society as significant hurdles, now compounded by an economic downturn.
Condom companies Reckitt, LifeStyles, Ansell, and Renfu, which sell in China, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
