If you assume that the Valentine Week is all about roses, chocolates and affectionate hugs you are mistaken as condoms constitute a major share of the Valentine kitty of the young lovebirds. Market analysts say that sales of condoms surge up considerably as cupid strikes in the romance-sodden week.
In the State Capital, the condom sale is seeing a huge surge of 30 percent in the week starting February 7. Importantly, the sales surge in the localities where the university and college students stay in large numbers.
The medical shop owners vouch the fact that this time of the year brings good sale of prophylactic and contraceptive pills. Interestingly, they also point out that the sale of at-home pregnancy test slides increases in March which follows the month of Valentine.
Gurvinder Singh, owner of Gulati Chemists and Druggists, located in busy Dharamur market, confirmed that the number of customers seeking condoms increases during this period. He said that the costumers range from youngsters to the middle- aged.
The chemists also point out that the hesitancy seen among the youths while purchasing condoms some years ago is fast vanishing now. "More and more youngsters are asking for the thing without the least of hesitation, as though they have got over the spell of inhibition," Singh said.
The Territory Sales Manager (TSM) of Hll life Care limited which markets a popular brand of condom, Rana Pratap Yadav also confirmed that the sales take an upswing during the Valentine Week. "The sales of condoms increase by 30-35 percent during Valentine period. The New Year period and Karwa Chouth are other occasions when the business volume sees a surge,'' he said.
The marketing executives of condom companies say that in Dehradun the sale is generally more in areas like Premnagar, Nehru Colony and Karanpur where there is more concentration of college and university students. It is learnt that the condom companies vie for a share in the market which is in excess of Rs 50 lakh per month in Dehradun city alone. The online sale of condoms is also significant during this period, but in Dehradun the trend is yet to pick up.
Aware of the importance of Valentine Week, the companies are engaged in an aggressive and glitzy marketing campaign during the period. They come out with colourful and tempting advertisements in the newspapers and other media forum to capitalize the Valentine fever and target especially the youths in their promotional campaigns.