Condoms and contraceptives to become more expensive in China
Condoms and other contraceptive products are likely to become more expensive in China from next month, as part of Beijing’s wider push to lift the country’s birth rate.
In an announcement about China’s Value-added Tax (VAT) Law this week, condoms and contraceptive pills were removed from the exemption list, meaning up to 13 per cent tax could be added.
It will end a 33-year tax exemption on contraceptives first introduced under the One-child Policy.
A condom in China can be as cheap as $0.60, roughly half the regular retail price in Australia. But it remains unclear how Chinese manufacturers and retailers will respond to the tax in the new year.
Experts say the tax is a step backwards for women, young people and low-income groups, warning it overlooks gender-equality concerns and may make contraception less accessible for those who need it most.