Condom market shrinks

Condom market shrinks

BANGKOK (DPA): Southeast Asia's economic meltdown is cutting into condom sales a news report said yesterday.

Thailand's sex industry is expected to shrink 50 percent this year, as the country enters into a deeper-than-expected recession and consumer spending dries up, said Jon Gray, commercial director of London Royal Consumer Products which has an estimated 70 percent market share for condoms in Thailand.

Gray told The Nation daily that Thailand has been among the company's fastest growing markets, with about 30 million-35 million condoms sold per annum, 70 percent of which were used in the country's booming commercial sex industry.

He predicted that condom sales in Thailand this year would grow only 2 percent-3 percent, compared to 10 percent-15 percent in previous years. Last year the company sold 35 million condoms in Indonesia and had set a target for 38 million this year.

However, the devaluation of the Indonesian rupiah has hiked imported condom prices so Gray expected sales to stagnate at 1997 figures. In Singapore, considered a mature market where per capita condom use has reached 7.8 pieces per annum, Gray expected 5 percent growth in sales.