Abolition of the tampon tax: does it go far enough? – Palatinate

By Emma Foster

On 1st January 2021 the so-called tampon tax was abolished in the UK, a result of the country leaving the EU on 31st December 2020. This marked a significant event in a 20-year fight to rid ourselves of a law which, lets face it, was inherently sexist.

Since 1973, sanitary products have been classified as a luxury item under EU legislation and thus incurred a minimum 5% tax. This is despite contraceptive methods such as condoms and birth control, along with hygiene products (even mens razors!) bearing no tax at all. This begs the question; if recreational sex (that is, sex without the purpose of reproduction) and the upkeep of mens facial hair is classed as essential then why have products for periods been deemed as non-essential for so long?

Perhaps this can be attributed to the fundamentally patriarchal society we live in, along with the long-standing taboo with regards to the subject. As Gemma Abbot, lawyer and campaigner for Free Periods Group put it, any tax that characterises period products as non-essential is absurd and has no place in a society that is seeking genuine gender equality. Periods are not a choice, they are natural; sanitary products are not a luxury, they are a necessity.

This advancement is a result of the governments initiative to end period poverty. Period Poverty, according to the Royal College of Nursing is, the lack of access to sanitary products due to financial constraints. According to a representative survey of 1,000 girls and young women aged 14-21 by Plan International UK, one in ten girls cant afford to buy menstrual products, while one in seven have struggled to afford them.

Periods are not a choice, they are natural; sanitary products are not a luxury, they are a necessity

One of the direct problems of period poverty is the effect it has upon a girls education. Plan International research estimates that 49% of girls have missed an entire day of school due to their period and therefore predict that if a girl misses a whole day every time she has a period she will be 145 days of education behind her peers. This doesnt take into account her reduced ability to concentrate and perform to her usual standard whilst at school when experiencing period pain, a side effect of menstruation which draws very little attention, let alone an effective treatment.

While not addressing the problem of period pain itself, the governments action includes rolling out free sanitary products to schools, colleges and hospitals, alongside the abolition of the tampon tax. In 2015 they also established the Tampon Tax Fund with the aim of allocating the money made from VAT on sanitary products to projects which support vulnerable women and girls. This means the money made is given back to women most in need, a fund which we all must hope will be continued despite the end of the tax.

If successful, these new measures should have a major impact on the school attendance of girls during their period, but most importantly it should go some way to reducing and removing the stigma and embarrassment surrounding periods. A survey carried out by Sex Ed Matters on 150 teachers and students revealed that 100% believed there to still be a stigma attached to periods.

This is vital in the fight to end period poverty: if a girl is embarrassed about her period, how comfortable will she feel asking for the products and help? Nevertheless, it seems it is also down to schools to acknowledge the elephant in the room. According to Gemma Abbot, as of last term (Autumn 2020), only 40% of schools had signed up to the scheme to provide free sanitary products in schools. It is pivotal that the other 60% sign up to the scheme in order for every girl to be an equal benefactor of the help provided. Without the support and drive from schools to help the girls under their provision,the changes we wish to see will not happen.

The next step should be the introduction of subsidies for sanitary products

Chancellor Rishi Sunak, when addressing the abolition of the tax, said Im proud that we are today delivering on our promise to scrap the tampon tax. Sanitary products are essential so its right that we do not charge VATthis commitment takes us another step closer to making them available and affordable for all women. Hearing a male member of the cabinet talking with openness, compassion and even passion about womens issues seems like a new and promising horizon which should fill us with hope.

So, what financial difference will this make for women? The treasury has predicted that this will save women approximately 40 over their lifetime with a reduction of 7p on a box of 20 tampons and 5p on a pack of 12 pads. While the abolition of the tampon tax marks a theoretical shift in perceptions and stigma around periods, these stats show that it is questionable whether it does enough practically towards helping women. Thus, further to the abolition of the tax, the next step should be the introduction of subsidies for such products.

We only need to look north of the border to Scotland to see an example of a country which is respecting and dignifying its women by being the firstin the world to provide free sanitary products. A true landmark in the struggle to end period poverty, as the government has acknowledged it is their duty to carry the burden of paying for these products to empower their female citizens to be better equipped to deal with menstruation.

A potential solution to the financial issue faced by women could be the recent emergence of environmentally friendly, sustainable sanitary products. Due to their sustainable nature, the use of menstrual cups and reusable sanitary pads and tampon applicators would mean a significant decrease in money spent by women on sanitary products over their lifetime. While a menstrual cup costs around 20, it lasts for several years, meaning after six to eight months, it pays itself off, according to mooncup. Furthermore, the significant impact the reusable products have on decreasing the sickening amount of waste created by sanitary products is undeniable.

Around a fifth of the plastic found on Britains beaches is from sanitary products

The specific impact of sanitary products on the environment is unknown, but when you consider the vast amounts of plastic used in every single one, from packaging, to applicators, to leak-proof bottoms of sanitary pads, and even the string of a tampon, the picture doesnt look good. Around a fifth of the plastic found on Britains beaches is from sanitary products with the vast majority being single-use and unrecyclable.

Anna Borowski, who researched the ecological impact of sanitary products, put it concisely: I dont want to contribute 40 years of garbage to a landfill just to manage something that shouldnt even be seen as a problemIt seems like something we should have a little more control of by now. I dont want to have that kind of burden on the planet.

This is not to say that these products appeal to all women. From the many conversations Ive had about reusable alternatives with friends and family, these products often insight words such as disgusting, unhygienic and untrustworthy to name a few. While they may provide a solution to both financial and environmental problems created by periods, they have quite a way to come yet before being trusted and accepted by many women.

So, despite the abolition of the tampon tax, its clear there needs to be far more done in order to truly have any hope in ending period poverty. Scotland leads the way in their actions, but for change to happen we must work to de-stigmatise periods so that girls and women can progress on the path to gender equality.

Image: Josefin via Unsplash.

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Abolition of the tampon tax: does it go far enough? - Palatinate