Vegetable-themed condoms promoted by 'horticultural society'

The vegetable-themed condoms campaign led by "The Horticultural Society" aims to shine a light on the beauty of sex and intimacy in later life to break down taboos.

Imagine a condom shelf, which does not conjure up images of fruits and vegetables!

You probably don't think of fruits and vegetables when you think of condoms. Is new era of contraception on the anvil?

However, 'Relate', a relationship counselling organisation, has created a new line of contraception that takes a distinctly greener approach to safe sex.

The organisation has produced a healthy range of "Horticultural Society" condoms in flavours of different fruits and vegetables. These are courgette, plum, aubergine, onion, and avocado seed varieties. These condom packets actually look like seeds from the garden centre.

The condoms are designed to not only provoke debate among those who may believe unsafe sex no longer worries them but also to be sustainable and biodegradable in a pot once you're done with them, forever redefining the concept of "sharing your seed".

Reports suggest that there's a rise in the transmission of sexually transmitted diseases among those over 65 years of age in the UK.

Despite the fact that various means of STD/HIV prevention are available, female empowerment remains a distant dream, behavioural change is not yet on the horizon. Condoms will continue to be an important part of the STI/HIV prevention arsenal until then.

Condoms are becoming more crucial for STI/HIV prevention as permanent sterilisation becomes more common, as well as the promotion of the emergency contraceptive pill.

However, in the last month, we've seen the approval of a new type of underwear in the United States that helps protect users against STIs during oral sex, in addition to the launch of garden-themed condoms. The "ultra-thin, super stretchy, vanilla-flavoured" pants have been approved by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration).

The Relate veggie condoms were created in response to studies that revealed that people in their 60s, who are in good health and have a lot of money, are having more sex than ever before.

Despite 52 per cent confessing to not buying a condom in the previous year, 62 per cent of Brits consider themselves sexually adventurous.

The majority of Brits (51 per cent) find it difficult to have sex conversations because it makes them feel uncomfortable.

Sex was the most popular pastime among those over 65 years of age (44 per cent), followed by seeing relatives (43 per cent), and gardening (33 per cent).

According to the poll reported by Relate, 43 per cent of individuals aged 65 years of age and up are more secure and liberated in their sexuality now than at any other time in their lives, and more than half believe they are sexually adventurous. A survey in 2020 found that millennials have sex just once a month or more.

However, it has been found that 80 per cent of over 65 years of age have not purchased condoms in the last six months, and STIs in this age group have increased in the last 10 years.

Before the pandemic, according to Age UK, Public Health England reported that syphilis cases in the over 65years had surged by 86 per cent, yet 38 per cent of over 65 years avoid discussing safe sex because it makes them uncomfortable.