Now this does not sound like a good way to spice up your sex life really! Indian condom brand Manforce has invented a spiced pickle-flavored chilli condom, which they say will make your lovemaking “tangy and tantalizing.” As crazy as these sound, flavored condoms actually equal half of all condom sales in India, according to Quartz.
Experts quoted in the piece say the prevalence of flavored condoms in India is having a positive impact. As oral sex becomes more popular in the country, excitement around condom flavors could play a big role in preventing the spread of sexually transmitted diseases.
The chilli condom maker says there’s still a stigma around the word “condom” for many conservative but sexually active people in India who have to actually ask a pharmacist for a rubber, instead of just picking up a pack at the grocery store and hiding it among cartons of orange juice and packets of gum. Many feel more comfortable now that they can just ask a pharmacist for a condom by simply requesting a flavor instead.
The popularity of these condoms in India parallels an increase in use of condoms in the US and across Europe, according to a new report from the National Center for Health Statistics. The survey found that condom use is on the rise, though still very few people reported actually using condoms. Only about a third of all men surveyed between 2011 and 2015 reported using a condom the last time they had sex. Still, that’s 13 percent more than in 2002, the report states.