In Russia, demand for condoms has soared and outlets are passing on the price increases of the much-wanted commodity onto frustrated customers.
With more people anticipating price rises and shortages caused by Western sanctions and the fall of the Russian currency, Wildberries, the country’s largest online store, saw sales grow by 170 percent in the first two weeks of March.
Last year, the company said it sold less condoms compared to the same period this year.
Drugstore chains in Russia are claiming a 26% or more increase in revenue, while supermarkets reported a 30% increase from the sale of the sticky item.
The war, however, did not stop some western manufacturers like Reckitt Benckiser, the British manufacturer of Durex, to continue to trade in Russia.
Meanwhile, a sex shop in Russia says, ‘People are shopping for the future, despite the fact that we were obliged to hike costs.’
Consumer prices have risen by up to 50%, depending on the product. Lovers are rushing to buy the product fearing shortages.
According to industry sources, latex is sourced from nations that do not embargo Russia.
However, imports are made in Western currencies, which are now much more expensive. This is fueling the rush, as well as the anticipated sting of Western sanctions on Russia.
The demand for condoms was so intense that Putin’s Ministry of Industry and Trade was obliged to deny that there would be long-term issues.
‘There is no expectation of a scarcity of this goods,’ officials said. Thailand, India, South Korea, and China, the world’s leading producers, have not halted supply to the Russian Federation.’
Always mindful of what is going on in Russian and how Russians are reacting to their country’s war against Ukraine, Western press are reporting that condom sales are up 170 percent in Russia due to worries that sanctions may produce shortages.
Photo: Packs of condoms sold in pharmacy in Moscow, Russia (Image: EAST2WEST NEWS)
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