Condom popularity attributed to rising AIDS awareness

SOUTH AFRICA: Condom popularity attributed to rising AIDS awareness

JOHANNESBURG, 1 Aug 2005 (PLUSNEWS) - The Society for Family Health (SFH), an international NGO, says soaring condom sales in South Africa are the result of heightened HIV/AIDS awareness.

SFH has recorded a significant leap in the demand and distribution of the prophylactics, with sales reaching more than 14.8 million by 2004, compared to less than one million in 1997.

David Nowitz, senior marketing manager of SFH, told the local City Press newspaper: "The increase in sales can be attributed to the increase in awareness (of safe sex) and it means all the promotions are beginning to pay off."

Various brands target users ranging from affluent and older people to the lower end of the market and the youth. The department of health said it was now distributing 46 million condoms a monthly compared to 16 million last year.

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