Isolated couples are purchasing toys by the bucketload, and activity on dating apps is way up. But more babies might not be on the way. With all the extra time during the day, it’s only natural that couples are using it to have sex.
The clubs are shut. The pubs are shut. Tinder dates are canceled. One-night stands are practically illegal. But, despite these obvious hurdles, coronavirus has still created a sex industry sales boom.
Lelo, a Swedish luxury sex toy brand, says it has seen sales increase by 40 percent.
Ann Summers, a sex toy and lingerie retailer, has seen a 27 percent increase in sales of sex toys compared to this time last year, and condom sales have doubled in the space of just a week.
UK Meds, an online pharmacy based in Nottingham, reported a spike in Viagra sales and a 23 percent increase in orders of the morning-after pill.
With extra time during the day saved by not commuting or working, it’s only natural that couples are using it to have sex, says Helen Fisher, a senior research fellow at the Kinsey Institute, a research center focused on sex, gender and reproduction. And having sex causes hormonal changes in the body that are welcome in these austere times—dopamine is released, which causes a feeling of pleasure and happiness. Testosterone levels are raised in both men and women, which raises libido, making you want even more sex.
“I do think that one of the reasons that so many people are turning to sex is not only they’ve got the time, but it’s actually very good for you,” says Fisher.
Those who aren’t happy at home are finding other ways to get frisky. Illicit Encounters, a dating website for those seeking extra-marital affairs, has experienced a 15 percent increase in activity based on this time last year. In a survey from the website, 54 percent of men said they had started affairs in the last four weeks, with 74 percent of these men saying their reason for doing so was boredom.
Tinder has seen a 12 percent increase in daily conversations in the UK, which on average in March were lasting eight percent longer compared to February. In Italy, which is said to be around two to three weeks ahead of the UK in terms of the spread of the virus, conversations are lasting 29 percent longer than they did a month ago.
“Times of crisis in historical contexts have always been times where the incidence of conceptions has fallen,” says Reher.
He adds that once the exceptional times of crisis have passed, there is a spurt in conceptions thanks to remarriages, rejoined families, or people who just resumed sexual activity.
But as the Covid-19 crisis continues, the world may face a bigger issue when it comes to sex. Karex, the world’s largest producer of condoms, recently had to shut down its three factories in Malaysia for 10 days while waiting for government approval to continue running as an essential service. Even after it was allowed to continue operating, factories were only able to operate at 50 percent capacity.
“The places that we are most worried about are the places where condoms are provided by humanitarian aid who don’t have any other options,” says Ian Leong,
Head of investor relations at Karex in Malaysia. In the developed world there are many different options for birth control, so there may not be a noticeable change in birth rate, but in developing countries, there may be issues caused by a lack of condom supply, from an increase in births to the spread of HIV. For now, Karex’s factory in Thailand is able to keep up with demand, so it hopes that there won’t be any knock-on effects.
Fisher believes that the lockdown could have wider effects on relationships, with a rush of people getting married or divorced in the near future.
“Any kind of catastrophe pushes us to the next stage in our relationship, there are breaking points and there are escalation points. This is one of them.”