When Our Wallets Are Empty, We Buy Lube

Further confirmation that sex-related industries continue to do well during a recession: Sales of personal lubricants increased 32 percent this quarter, up to $41.2 million. “When the economy goes down, sex goes up,” according to a spokesman for Johnson & Johnson, the company behind K-Y Yours & Mine his-and-hers lubricants. The “sexual-enhancement” product category is growing even faster, with sales up 74 percent this quarter. So, it seems the recession is good for something, namely taking away everyone’s money so they can’t afford to see a movie in the theater, but they have enough to pick up a few ounces of lube. But while you’re at the store, don’t forget a pack of condoms. An increase in unemployment rates increases fertility, according to the National Bureau of Economic Research, and we see a mini-baby boom as a result. [Ad Age]