When it comes to avoiding the likes ofchlamydiaorgonorrhoeain the bedroom, the only sure-fire way to do so is by whipping out acondom.
But for us Brits this hasn’talwaysbeen a priority, with just 15% of us purchasing condoms in 2023, and a staggering 41% skipping any form ofcontraceptionat all, according toDurex.
Still, that’s 10.5 million people in the UK who are relying on johnnies to protect theirsexual health, although this could be set to decrease as theIran War pushes up the costof this protection.
Karex produces over 5 billion condoms annually supplying leading brands like Durex and Trojan, as well as statehealthsystems such as Britain’s NHS, and it announced in April it would need to hike prices up by 30%.
The war has strained energy and petrochemical flows from theMiddle East, disrupting procurement of raw materials like synthetic rubber and nitrile, used in manufacturing condoms to packaging materials, and lubricants such as aluminium foils and silicone oil.
In fact, Pasante, has claimed non-latex materials are up 100% in cost, latex is up 30%, and packaging and logistics are also coming in at 20% more costly.
Put simply, a £10 pack of condoms could cost up to £13 by the end of 2026, and GP Nikki Ramskill, founder of The Female Health Doctor Clinic, tellsMetrothis could have ‘real public health consequences’.
‘This rise in cost may seem relatively small but for many people, particularly younger individuals or those on lower incomes, it can absolutely act as a barrier.
‘When contraception becomes less accessible, even in subtle ways, behaviour changes.’
The GP, for Doctify, adds that condom use is ‘already inconsistent’, particularly outside of long-term relationships, and that price increases risk pushing this to an even lower level.
Source: Drudge Report
