I had a very random thought the other morning as I was coming off of this months cycle. And thought I should write a blog post on my thoughts on tampon tax. And why I think it shouldn’t exist. I want to go into depth on what I think and why I think it shouldn’t be around anymore.
MY THOUGHTS ON TAMPON TAX // IT SHOULD BE SCRAPPED!!
WHAT IS ‘TAMPON TAX’?
A tampon tax refers to a condition in sales tax law under which tampons and other feminine hygiene products. Used to absorb menstrual flow are not tax exempt like some other medical necessities. Proponents argue that tampons, sanitary napkins, and comparable products. Form basic, unavoidable necessities for women and thus should be made tax exempt.
WHY DOES IT EXIST?
In the 1970s it was then that the UK government signed up to something called the Common Market. Which we now know as the European Union. It was set up to make movement and trade between countries easier. During its formation tax rates for a whole host of different products were thrashed out. It was decided tampons would incur a 17.5% tax.
READ MORE: Read this article on Why Do We Pay Tampon Tax?
WHAT DOES THE TAMPON TAX MEAN WHEN I BUY PRODUCTS?
Tesco’s are the first of the supermarkets to reduce the tampon tax by 5%. This means that a £2.10 box of Tampax will soon be just under £2. On average women will save about £1.20 a year. It’s not a lot but it’s something. And it’s fairer (which is really the point here). While 10p might not sound a lot to many of us, it might be the difference between someone being able to buy a pack of towels or tampons, or not. Co-Op have not long behind followed Tesco’s footsteps. And a petition is going around to said ASDA and Sainsbury’s to join in!
THE SCIENCE OF IT
Women will start menstruating when they reach puberty, which is usually around the age of 11, but can sometimes hit girls as early as 8 years old and as late as 14. Us women menstruate for the basis of reproduction and for having children when we are older. Women on average menstruate for 40 years (taking into account that some women have children), so each woman spends approximately £5,600 on her period over her lifetime. Women do not menstruate or have their periods whilst they are pregnant and will resume their periods after child birth.
The average period cycle varies from woman to woman, but the average is to have periods every 28 days. Regular cycles that are longer or shorter than this, from 21 to 40 days, are normal. My period cycle is usually around 4 days and happens every 28 days roughly. If a womans period is missed by quite some time, it usually means she is pregnant, but a cycle can also change when it happens especially if you have been travelling on a plane.
THE COST TO HAVE A PERIOD:
For us girls to go through our periods every month, it’s not cheap. Let me tell you that! We have to buy so many products including pain relief and whether it’s pads or tampons and sometimes even both just to get through our cycle. Different stores vary in terms of how much they charge for each thing, and with Tampon Tax on top of that.
We don’t see how much Tampon Tax is being charged on top of each item. The pads I buy are Always Ultra Night (as I have quite a heavy flow) from one of my local pharmacies for £1.99. It may not sound like a lot to some people, but if you have no money or are struggling for money and even if you aren’t, buying all of these products every month can really rake up.
Average Prices for period products:
Always Infinity Size 3 10 pack – £3.15 from Boots
Nurofen Plus Painkillers 32 tablets – £7.29
Nurofen Meltlets Lemon 12 tablets – £3.99
Paracetamol 32 tablets – £2.99 from Boots
MY THOUGHTS
I remember when this whole tampon tax debate started happening. With petitions going around calling for it to removed now we’re looking to leave the EU. I remember seeing articles and certain people calling our sanitary products as ‘luxury’. I hardly see how it’s luxury when we have to go through our periods every month. It’s a function in our body that we can’t control. None of us asked for this to happen. But it’s the way the female body works in order to reproduce.
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Who even created it in the first place? Was it a man who has no idea what it’s like to go through every month? (Not being sexist here, I’m all for gender equality) I know that cigarettes and alcohol are expensive enough. But I really think more things should be done to stop people having access to those products. As they cause more harm than good rather than taxing women on products they need on a monthly basis in order to function. Also this isn’t really linked but kind of it. But why are painkillers so expensive? People need them for multiple reasons but also women who are on their periods.
Image used in this post is credit to Karolina Grabowska on Pexels.
What are your thoughts on the tampon tax? Do you think it should be removed?
I would fully support the tax if the money went to environmental causes. Tampons etc are hugely damaging to the environment. When we have products such as the Mooncup and reusable pads, there is no excuse really. However, in reality the tax will just go into government pockets so I will remain on the fence about this for now.
Yeah so would I, it’s just the money goes straight into their pockets and puts us in a bad way when they are either ridiculously expensive or the tax is crazy!