Durex

Reckitt Benckiser is a consumer goods global leader in health, hygiene and home products. It has numerous global power brands, with ‘Durex’ as one of its major brands included in the sexual wellbeing category. The following report will assess Phase 3 – suppliers and intermediaries, environment and observers. Significant attention will be allocated to the supplier alternatives, the supply chain, government actors and environmental impacts on supply with relation to Porter’s 5 forces (Supplier power) and Porter’s supply chain analysis.It must be noted that Reckitt Benckiser manufactures ‘Durex’ products internationally and imports into Australia. Therefore Reckitt Benckiser Australia does not have any input or decision making on the product manufacture nor the product design; hence the supply of the finished product is accepted by RB International.
Supplier Alternatives
Direct Competitors
• Ansell – No.1 in condoms/ No.3 in Lubricants
• KY – No.1 in Lubricants/ no condom offering
• Four Season – No.3 in condoms/ No.4 in lubricants
• Playboy – No.4 in condoms/ no lubricants offering
The total sexual wellbeing grocery category is worth $40.8m with Ansell in the driver seat holding approximately 50% of the market.
Indirect competitors
• Contraceptive pills
• Female condoms The Supply Chain
In 2010, Reckitt Benckiser had completed the acquisition of SSL International and added ‘Durex’ to its list of power brands (Reckitt Benckiser, 2013). There are several steps involved the Reckitt Benckiser supply chain (Appendix 1) (Reckitt Benckiser, 2009):
a) Raw and packaging material – ‘Durex’ emphasises its stand on the basis of quality of condoms by using quality raw materials, and not opting to seek the cheapest alternative (Durex website, 2013). This assists in creating the high quality branding image associated with ‘Durex’ in the mind of the consumer.
b) Product Manufacturing – products are sent to Reckitt Benckiser Ltd in Slough, UK, to manufacture their