Condom Makers Expect The Pandemic To Wrap Up & They're Getting Ready For A Lot Of Sex

The pandemic has been hard for people — so hard.

Karex, one of the world's biggest condom-makers, is betting all that pent-up sexual energy will mean big business for it later this year, especially with vaccinations rates on the rise and lockdowns coming to an end.

Karex produces about 5.5 billion rubbers a year, but it expects to pump up those numbers in 2022 because it thinks the pandemic is almost over, according to its quarterly report.

"The recommencement of social interactions that have been absent for over a year in many countries is expected to drive the immediate term demand for condoms and lubricants," reads the report.

In other words, Karex thinks people are about to have a lot of sex.

While you might not know the parent company, Karex makes Durex and ONE condoms, which you just might have in your bedside table.

During the pandemic, Karex noticed sales dropped about 40%, although CEO Goh Miah Kiat told Nikkei Asia that the decrease isn't just because people weren't having sex.

"A large portion [of condoms are] distributed by governments around the world, which have reduced [distribution] significantly during COVID-19," said Kiat.

Kiat pointed out that sexual wellness clinics were closed due to their non-essential nature in light of COVID-19. These types of places typically hand out a ton of contraceptives, but if they're closed, they won't be consistently ordering new stock.

As restrictions start to lift in countries and people become a little more social, Karex expects the demand for rubbers to shoot up.

"We must not lose focus of the fact that condoms will still have a critical role to play as the world emerges from its fight against the COVID-19 virus," said Kiat.

That's CEO speak for "Don't be silly, wrap your willy," and we couldn't agree more!