Malaysia’s Karex plans massive condom price hike over US-Iran crisis; warning sparks stockpiling in China

KUALA LUMPUR, April 24 — A warning from Malaysia’s Karex Bhd, the world’s top condom producer, that it plans to raise prices by 20 to 30 per cent has unexpectedly gone viral in China, sparking widespread discussion about stockpiling as the Iran war disrupts global supply chains.

The announcement from the Malaysian company has had its most dramatic impact in China, where the hashtag “condom prices rising” garnered more than 60 million views on the social media platform Weibo.

Karex CEO Goh Miah Kiat told Reuters that the price hike was unavoidable due to soaring costs for raw materials caused by the conflict in the Middle East.

“The situation is definitely very fragile, prices are expensive… We have no choice but to transfer the costs right now to the customers,” Goh said in an interview.

He explained that since the conflict began, Karex has seen cost increases for everything from synthetic rubber and nitrile used in manufacturing to packaging materials like aluminium foil and lubricants like silicone oil.

Karex, which produces over five billion condoms annually and supplies major brands like Durex and Trojan, is also seeing a 30 per cent surge in demand.

This is being driven by rising freight costs and shipping delays that have left many of its customers with lower-than-usual stockpiles. Shipments to Europe and the United States are now taking nearly two months to arrive, compared to one month previously.

ONE condoms by Karex are seen on display in Petaling Jaya on April 21, 2026. — Reuters pic

Viral reaction in China

The news from the Malaysian firm quickly spread across Chinese social media, with many users bemoaning that the Iran crisis was now even invading the bedroom.

The online conversations erupted as Chinese authorities are actively trying to boost the country’s flagging birth rate. Many online comments noted the irony, with some urging others to stockpile condoms.

“A few dozen yuan for a condom is a hundred times more cost-effective than raising a child at a million yuan,” said one popular comment on Weibo.

Another user wrote, “From now on, not only will we have to be frugal, but we’ll also have to stock up on condoms in advance.”

The potential price rise adds to the increasing cost of family planning in China, after the government removed a three-decade-old tax exemption on contraceptives at the start of the year, subjecting them to a 13 per cent value-added tax.