Gerson Monje, the owner of an online sex shop in Colombia, told Reuters that he has seen a big spike in sales in the typically conversative country.
"Sales started going up on day four of the quarantine,” Monje, whose company is still able to deliver products to customers during the quarantine, told Reuters. “We've seen a rise of 50%.”
"People are at home and have more time on their hands. They're with their partners or alone and need fun in their daily activities when it comes to being intimate," Monje noted.
According to Reuters, six other Colombian online sex shops also revealed that they have seen sale increases since the quarantine in the country began on March 24. Under the lockdown measures, Colombians are expected to stay home unless they are going to grocery stores, pharmacies or banks.
Psychologist Dr. Carolina Guzman told Reuters that the increased use of sex toys may be healthy for Colombians.
"Colombia has a very conservative idea around sexuality and communication surrounding it. It's a good time for people to allow themselves to work on their curiosity and to understand that buying and using these products is a great thing,” she said.
"Before people didn't have time because of so many things going on in their daily lives, and I think that because of what's happening at the moment, it's giving them the opportunity to explore different things," Katty Gonzalez, the marketing director at a sex store in Medellin, Colombia, added.
Sex stores in other countries have experienced similar phenonema. Sex toy sales in Denmark have more than doubled amid the pandemic, while British lingerie store Ann Summers revealed that sex toy sales shot up by 27% during the last week of March.
US sex toy site Adam & Eve also saw a 30% climb in sales in late March, Mashable reported. Women-founded sex shop Dame Products told Mashable that the company has also experienced a 20% jump in sales since February, with major increases in cities like New York and Los Angeles.
"So many aspects of our daily life that make us feel human are not accessible right now. Exploring your pleasure is really a great way to feel alive during this strange time. More pleasure means better sleep, less stress, and overall improved wellbeing,” Alexandra Fine, CEO and co-founder of Dame, told Mashable in late March.
