Review of the History of Price Revisions of Social-Marketed Brands of Male Condoms in Select Countries

Social-marketed brands of condoms are usually sold at a subsidized price in African countries. The goals of this approach are to ensure that the price of the condom does not pose a barrier to purchase and to promote to condom use among the populations the social marketing organization aims to serve. This review found that the price that the market can bear for a given condom brand fluctuates in response to varying macroeconomic and health contexts, as well as marketing factors.

This review explores whether the price of six social-marketed condom brands in five countries (Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe) has kept pace with macroeconomic indices, specifically the consumer price index (CPI) and gross national income (GNI).

This review found that the social-marketed brands of condoms revised their prices in keeping with the trends in per capita GNI. The sole exception was the brand Gold Circle, sold in Nigeria, which had no price increase. The review also found that the per capita GNI varies considerably across these countries, and that the price points of the condom brands in these countries do not appear to reflect these differences. Ultimately, almost all brands adjusted their prices to national consumer price indices and gross national incomes across all five countries. JSI/AIDSFree. 2017.