Karex warns of 30% price hikes as Iran–U.S. tensions disrupt raw material flows and pressure oil-linked industrial inputs Dr. Pshtiwan Faraj, Sulaimani, April 2026 — Global condom prices are expected to rise sharply after Malaysia-based manufacturer Karex Berhad announced it may increase prices by up to 30 percent if geopolitical tensions between Iran and the United States continue to disrupt supply chains.
The boss of the world's biggest condom maker, Karex, says the firm will raise its prices by up to 30% or possibly more if the Iran war continues to disrupt supplies of the raw materials used in its products. Karex's Chief Executive Goh Miah Kiat told media outlets that production costs have risen sharply since the start of the conflict. The Malaysia-based firm produces more than five billion condoms a year and supplies leading global brands like Durex and Trojan.
The company, which produces more than five billion condoms annually and supplies major brands including Durex and Trojan as well as public health systems such as the UK’s NHS, said production costs have surged due to disruptions in raw material flows linked to instability in Iran and wider Gulf shipping routes.
The escalation comes amid heightened uncertainty around maritime security in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint through which roughly one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas passes. Industry sources note that oil-linked inputs such as ammonia and silicone derivatives have become more expensive and harder to secure.
Karex executives also reported a 30 percent increase in global demand for condoms this year, attributing it partly to economic uncertainty. “In difficult times, people tend to delay long-term commitments like having children,” one executive said.The disruption is part of a broader inflationary wave affecting multiple sectors. Airline ticket prices have reportedly risen by 24 percent, while agriculture faces higher fertilizer costs and technology manufacturers are experiencing shortages of helium used in semiconductor production. Food prices, particularly sugar, dairy, and fruit, are also under pressure due to rising transport costs, according to UN-linked assessments.
Diplomatic prospects between Washington and Tehran remain uncertain, even as political signals suggest a fragile and conditional ceasefire extension under discussion.
Risk Analysis (brief model framing)
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Primary risk vector: Maritime chokepoint instability at Strait of Hormuz
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Transmission channel: Oil-linked industrial inputs + logistics disruption
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Secondary effects: Consumer inflation in non-energy goods (health, agriculture, aviation, tech)
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Systemic implication: Demonstrates “non-obvious inflation”—geopolitical shocks propagating into consumer biology markets
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Strategic signal: Supply chain fragility is no longer sector-specific; it is fully cross-sectoral
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