Retailers: Condom sales increase

“People who come to the counter after the checkout counter is clear of other customers are all buying condoms,” said a part-time worker at a convenience store. Condoms once again became a buzzword recently as the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation put up 100,000 U.S. dollars to those who develop the most innovative condom for a more fun and pleasurable sex. It is drawing attention among Koreans as the number of women and teenagers who buy condoms has continually increased.

According to the estimation by the retail industry, the Korean condom market was worth about 17 billion won (15 million U.S. dollars) last year. The convenience store franchise Seven Eleven saw a 27.1 percent year-on-year increase in sales of condom last year, and also saw the sale increase by 26 percent in the first quarter of this year.

“The popularity clearly shows people don’t want to sacrifice sexual pleasure while using condoms to avoid sexually transmitted disease or unwanted pregnancy. The make or break of Bill Gate’s aspiration for condom innovation depends on how developers satisfy the desire," a source at the industry said.

Condom sales reached a record on Christmas day last year. On that day, condoms were sold 219.6 percent more than average purchase, followed by 176.2 percent on the holiday including Buddha’s birthday in May and 174.4 percent on the eve of Pepero Day, or November 11. The eve of Christmas was ninth with 164.6 percent.

Major customers of condoms at convenience stores are men in their 30es and 40es. But the number of teenagers and women is increasing these days. Condom purchase by teens has climbed from 0.3 percent in 2011 to 0.5 percent last year and 0.6 percent this year. “More teens in their school uniforms come and buy condoms without hesitation,” said a source from Seven Eleven. The proportion of female buyers also increased from 17.5 percent in 2011 to 23.5 percent this year. At the mega supermarket Emart last year, women outnumbered men in condom purchase with 64.4 percent.

“The innovation of condom that Bill Gates has promoted will be possible only when the concept of sexual well-being is socially accepted and people view condoms as means to achieve it. People should be able to buy condoms as naturally as they buy gums or candies.” said Arjun Purkayastha, marketing director of Oxy Reckitt Benckiser Korea selling the world’s best-selling condom Durex.

jks@donga.com