Reckitt Benckiser, the British parent company behind household names like Durex condoms, Dettol, and Nurofen, warned Wednesday that the ongoing Middle East war could inflate its costs by up to £150 million ($203 million) this year due to surging oil prices.
In a first-quarter trading statement, the firm stated that if oil remains at $110 per barrel through 2026, it faces a gross impact of £130 million to £150 million on its input costs, a figure it describes as "manageable."
Petrochemical derivatives such as ammonia, ethanol, and silicone oil are essential for manufacturing and packaging condoms, Bloomberg News reported. The same report noted that Karex, the Malaysian producer responsible for 20% of the world's condoms—including those for Durex—is preparing to hike prices by up to 30% as a direct consequence of the conflict.
The war's ripple effects continue to strain global supply chains, with consumer goods companies bracing for higher raw material expenses.