Social Marketing Companies (SMCs) supply 45 per cent of oral contraceptive pills and 62 per cent of condoms in the market. The price of this company’s best-selling oral contraceptive Famicon has increased from Rs 34.58 to Rs 40.
SMC has seven brands of condoms. Among these, the price of Panther has increased from Rs 15 per packet to Rs 25 per packet, while the price of Sensation has increased from Rs 25 to Rs 40 per packet. The price of condoms of another company Carex brand has increased from Rs 35 per packet to Rs 40 per packet.
Jobairul Islam, a vendor at Al-Dawa Pharmacy in the capital’s Tejturi Bazaar area, said, “Panther is the most sought after when it comes to sales, followed by sensationalism.” The prices of both have increased. We have learned that the prices of all other brands will also increase.”
Zobairul Islam said that after the price hike, the demand for oral contraceptives has remained the same, but the sales of condoms have come down.
Retailer Sams of Rosario Pharmacy located in Monipuripara of the capital reiterated the same point. This seller said that the prices of cheap condoms have actually gone up. So, people are not buying them anymore.
SMC Chief Executive Officer Tasleem Uddin Khan claimed that the current reality forced them to increase the prices of contraceptives. “There was no way but to increase the price. However, despite the increase in prices, the demand for our products did not go down,” he told Prothom Aloe.