Are Condoms Recession-Proof?

It seems that every time I read the news online, there is a breaking news report in the header about yet another large corporation’s decision to lay off thousands of workers. As somebody who has been laid off in the past, it is a sickening blow to the gut to get that news, especially when you have children to feed and a mortgage to pay. With the economy sinking day by day, even now as I sit here typing this fully employed, I know never to fall into the deceptive mindset that a job is safe. Like most Americans, I find myself scaling back, clipping coupons and going to the grocery store with a “What do we need?” mindset instead of my normal “What do I want today?” frame of mind. Valentine’s Day was minus a fancy restaurant, minus a bouquet of expensive flowers and hello to homemade gifts this year in our household. Who could possibly thrive in an economy like this? Well, when Americans are strapped for cash, instead of going out, they usually opt-out and partake in some in-home entertainment. I think you see where I’m going here…condom companies are enjoying sales increases amidst all of the economic turmoil.

According to data from the Nielsen Company, condom sales went up approximately five percent in 2008’s fourth quarter and around six percent this January, compared to last year. Just as millions of Americans resorted to nesting during the Great Depression, they are repeating the trend again in our current recession. On the flip side, using condoms is the cheapest form of birth control for those families who are scared to get pregnant during these uncertain financial times. It may be the only form of birth control affordable to those families who are currently without medical care and unwilling to spend the money on other contraceptives, like birth control pills or IUDs.

Jim Daniels, the marketing VP for the number one condom manufacturer Trojan, states, “If people don’t have the money to go out to a fancy dinner or are looking to cut back, Trojan gives them some real affordable ways to stay in and make some great memories together.” Many couples, currently with our without children, are hesitant to grow their families during a recession like this. Who could blame them? Daniels adds, “Obviously people in general want to avoid … unintended pregnancies. But in a down economy those costs are even more burdensome to bear.”

Pam Piligian, a spokeswoman for Fitzgerald and Company (the company that handles advertising for Durex condoms), feels that condoms are “recession resistant.” However, while condoms sales have seen an increase from previous years, they are not increasing at a rate consistent with three years ago. For example, according to data from Information Resources, sales increased 2.3% in 2008 from 2007, but they increased approximately 5.5% three years ago. The companies that handle marketing and advertising for condom companies are well aware they need to continue marketing condoms to customers and remind them they are cheap, efficient and pleasurable. In fact, Durex is now offering coupons both in newspapers and on its website to thrifty consumers.