HLL Lifecare opens first contraceptive outlet

Thiruvananthapuram, March 16 (IANS) HLL Lifecare Ltd, premier manufacturer of contraceptives and various healthcare products, Monday here opened its first retail outlet in the country.

'The outlet will be a one-stop facility for the complete range of HLL contraceptive offerings and also feature a condom vending machine on 24/7 mode,' an HLL official told IANS.

'During office hours there will be counter staff and after that the vending machine will do duty,' he added.

The company currently has 20,000 vending machines across the country. These machines mostly sell HLL's social marketing contraceptives, whereas the outlet, christened as 'Moods Planet', would sell almost all products of the company.

'After ascertaining customer response to this outlet, HLL plans to roll out more outlets in other parts of the country,' the official added.

HLL expects a 40-percent growth in turnover this fiscal from last year's Rs.3.16 billion (Rs.316 crore).

HLL makes 60 percent of the total 1.8 billion condoms produced in the country a year.