Condom maker may raise prices because of Iran war

https://www.cnn.com/2026/04/21/business/condom-karex-prices-iran-war

Safe sex could get more expensive if the Iran war continues to disrupt global supply chains, according to a new interview with the CEO of the world’s largest condom manufacturer.

Karex CEO Goh Miah Kiat told Reuters on Tuesday that the company may be forced to raise prices at least 20% to 30%, depending on how long the disruption lasts. Global supply chains have been impacted by the war since the end of February and the chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz, cutting off some of the materials used in condom production.

Based in Malaysia, Karex produces condoms, personal lubricants, gloves, medical catheters and probe covers. The company manufactures male latex condoms including ONE, Trustex, Carex and Pasante, and it can produce over 5 billion condoms annually. Karex also exports to more than 130 countries, according to its website.
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But the war has also hurt production of so-called feedstocks – petroleum byproducts that are used to make plastics and other materials. Among them: naphtha, which is used to make packaging materials, and silicon oil and ammonia, which are key ingredients in condom production.
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