Overview
- Karex, the world’s largest condom maker, said it will raise prices by 20% to 30% and may go higher if disruptions continue.
- The company reports rising costs for key inputs such as synthetic rubber, nitrile, aluminum foil, and silicone oil as the Iran war unsettles Middle East petrochemical trade through the Strait of Hormuz.
- Transit times to Europe and the United States have stretched to nearly two months from about one month, which slows restocking for retailers and public health buyers.
- Demand is up about 30% this year while global stockpiles fell after foreign aid cuts, particularly from USAID, leaving clinics and aid programs more exposed to shortages.
- Karex says it has supplies for the next few months and is trying to lift output, and its role as a supplier to Durex, Trojan, Britain’s NHS, and UN programs means higher costs could reach consumers and health budgets.