Chinese authorities have slapped a 13-percent tax on condoms and other birth control products in a fresh push to stem the country’s plummeting birth rates, scrapping a longstanding exemption as demographic woes threaten long-term economic growth.
The measure, which took effect January 1, covers contraceptive pills, devices, and related items that had enjoyed tax-free status for over three decades, state announcements confirmed.
Officials hope the added cost will discourage family planning methods and encourage more births, amid warnings that an aging society could strain resources and slow productivity.
China’s population has shrunk for three years running since 2024, a reversal from the era of the one-child policy rigidly applied from 1980 to 2015 to curb overpopulation.
The government has rolled out incentives like extended maternity leave and child subsidies in recent years, but fertility rates remain stubbornly low, hovering below replacement levels.
