World’s Largest Condom Maker Slashes Supply, Hikes Prices as Iran War Disrupts Shipm Malaysian manufacturer Karex Bhd, the world’s largest condom producer, has announced sharp price increases of up to 30 percent as the ongoing Iran war continues to wreak havoc on global supply chains.
The company, which produces over 5 billion condoms annually for major brands including Durex and Trojan, as well as Britain’s National Health Service and United Nations aid programmes, said the price hike has become unavoidable.
“We have no choice but to transfer the costs to customers,” Karex CEO Goh Miah Kiat told Reuters on Tuesday. “The situation is definitely very fragile.”
The conflict, which began in late February, has strained energy and petrochemical flows from the Middle East, driving up costs for synthetic rubber, nitrile, packaging materials, aluminium foils and silicone oil used in condom manufacturing.
Shipping delays have compounded the crisis, with deliveries to Europe and the United States now taking nearly two months compared to the usual four weeks.
“A lot more condoms are sitting on vessels that have not arrived at their destination but are highly required,” Goh said, warning that many developing countries face acute shortages due to extended transit times.
Demand for condoms has risen approximately 30 percent this year, driven by dwindling global stockpiles following deep foreign aid spending cuts – particularly by the United States Agency for International Development last year.
Karex said it has sufficient supplies for the next few months and is increasing output to meet demand, but warned of further price increases if disruptions persist.
The Malaysian firm joins a growing list of manufacturers, including medical glove producers, bracing for sustained supply chain bottlenecks as the Middle East conflict shows no signs of abating.
