The tampon tax is going

[nosswith]

Probably the only good thing about leaving the EU, but let's be happy about it.

[EmmanuelleMakro]

There are many benefits-no need to be chippy about that /yes let’s celebrate! At least know influence can be made a local level for theses things that affect women.

[Whatwouldscullydo]

Given what it was last used for great!

I do hope the government decides to fund more female centred organisations directly.

And I hope that standards don't drop as a result if leaving the eu. We don't want to be in a situation like thise in Africa where its reported makers have been sending substandard pads .

I also hope this makes reusable products slightly more affordable perhaps ?

[Babdoc]

It would be better on environmental grounds to phase out tampons altogether, and encourage the use of reusable sanpro such as moon cups or washable pads. So many tampons end up polluting beaches after being flushed down the toilet, or piling up in landfill. Not to mention their unnecessary “applicators”, when fingers are perfectly adequate for insertion.
However, I don’t think any form of sanpro should be taxed - it’s hardly a frivolous luxury item!

[Theunamedcat]

Fingers might be perfect for insertion but not when you have to share a public toilet and need to use the sink

[OhHolyJesus]

How much does it actually save though? Isn't it less than £1 per year?

This is always spun as a feminist issue but aside from women switching to reusables, and even if you have very heavy periods the saving on no longer paying tax is tiny, about 5p a pack. What will we do with all that spare cash...

[Whatwouldscullydo]

I found applicators harder and messier tbh

If uts heavy enough make a big mess on your fingers its heavy enough to cost the applicator to the point here u can't grip it properly and its running down it. Plus they pinch. I think applicators make mistakes easier and thats why many insert them wrong. Its easier with fingers.

But realistically not everyone is going to be in a position to be able to use reusables. Although they are easier than people think.

No having to wait for the one cubicle at school that has the bin. Or taking the disabled loo up because its the only one school put a bin in.

[Theunamedcat]

@OhHolyJesus

How much does it actually save though? Isn't it less than £1 per year?

This is always spun as a feminist issue but aside from women switching to reusables, and even if you have very heavy periods the saving on no longer paying tax is tiny, about 5p a pack. What will we do with all that spare cash...

Reality is we probably won't notice the difference the shops will keep the price the same or put them up do we even produce them in the UK or are they imported

[Whatwouldscullydo]

do we even produce them in the UK or are they imported

Id be interested to know this. What dies brexit mean fir standards and supplies and of course regulations regarding materials .

[OhHolyJesus]

Exactly Theunamed I support sole traders by buying their reusables but I realise it's an upfront expense and if I was a teenage girl I wouldn't want to have to carry around a used reusable pad in my bag or have to rinse it out using communal sinks at school.

The minuscule saving, should we get to see it, won't make any difference so it really isn't worth celebrating or complaining about in relation to Brexit, it's a non-story. My LibDem candidate made a song and dance about it (and they are pro-EU obvs) as lip service to my question of "what is a woman", it wasn't even a decent deflection.

I get cross about how woman are meant to be satisfied with this tiny no -issue and consider it progress, it's very short sighted.

[Housewife2010]

@Babdoc

It would be better on environmental grounds to phase out tampons altogether, and encourage the use of reusable sanpro such as moon cups or washable pads. So many tampons end up polluting beaches after being flushed down the toilet, or piling up in landfill. Not to mention their unnecessary “applicators”, when fingers are perfectly adequate for insertion.
However, I don’t think any form of sanpro should be taxed - it’s hardly a frivolous luxury item!

That isn't very practical though. My 13 year old is too nervous to try tampons, so she's hardly going to be comfortable enough to try moon cups and she definitely wont want to carry used pads in her school bag.

[EdgeOfACoin]

I recently came across a fairly substantial pack of own-brand sanitary towels for 50p.

Of course these products shouldn't be taxed but I do think the benefits of getting rid of the tampon tax are overstated.

[allalongtheshore]

@Babdoc

It would be better on environmental grounds to phase out tampons altogether, and encourage the use of reusable sanpro such as moon cups or washable pads. So many tampons end up polluting beaches after being flushed down the toilet, or piling up in landfill. Not to mention their unnecessary “applicators”, when fingers are perfectly adequate for insertion.
However, I don’t think any form of sanpro should be taxed - it’s hardly a frivolous luxury item!

I haven't been able to insert the non applicator ones since acquiring a birth injury, I can't even use the cardboard ones. Tampax Pearl are the only reason I can still take my children swimming so please don't assume your experience is everybody's experience.

[deydododatdodontdeydo]

Yay, £40 a lifetime saved.
I suppose it's symbolic more than anything else.
Will a teenage girl who can't afford a 70p pack suddenly be able to afford a 67p pack?

[Whatwouldscullydo]

That isn't very practical though. My 13 year old is too nervous to try tampons, so she's hardly going to be comfortable enough to try moon cups and she definitely wont want to carry used pads in her school bag

It would be nice to see all options presented in schools though when dd1 had the "talk" in school ( mums were invited too) it focused only on disposable options. I do think it would be better to have all options given and sone mythbusting.

Its not unusual to have to carry a used pad sadly as often bins are either over flowing or non existant. You then get stuck not knowing quite what to do with it ajd have to take it home with all your other rubbish if bins aren't available. Reusables u r kinda set up fir that with a wet bag etc

Shame the tax money never reakky went in ensuring school girls toilets were properly set up and maintained fir their female users

[Tanith]

The Republic of Ireland is an EU country and does not have a tampon tax. In Scotland, sanitary products are free.
http://infacts.org/we-dont-need-to-leave-the-eu-to-scrap-the-tampon-tax/

[Covidpleasegoaway]

The most important thing about this is that some people (men) are now recognising that tampons are not a luxury but a necessity.

However, I never pay full price for tampons, I always buy the ones on offer so I don't think this will save me much.

[Neversleepingever]

Yes! Finally. According to the EU, period products are non essential. 😑 a luxury item.

I'm very pleased the UK Has abolished the 5% tax. It feels progressive that this is one of the first atrocities it amended. It will save 7p off a pack of 20 tampons and 5p off of a pack of pads. Great news.

[Maryann1975]

@Housewife2010 I agree about using Reusables. Dd14 is happy to use period pants at home, but there’s no way she would change them at school and carry a used pair or even a used sanitary towel round with her for the rest of the day.
Why do some women insist that because something works for them, they are suitable for all? My mother does it repeatedly about tampax just as @Babdoc has done. Just because you don’t need an applicator to insert a tampax, some of us do. For me, it is nothing about flow, but without the applicator, I just can’t get it in the right place and I know I am not the only one in my friends who struggles with this.

[Veterinari]

@Neversleepingever

Yes! Finally. According to the EU, period products are non essential. 😑 a luxury item.

I'm very pleased the UK Has abolished the 5% tax. It feels progressive that this is one of the first atrocities it amended. It will save 7p off a pack of 20 tampons and 5p off of a pack of pads. Great news.

This is not an EU issue. There's no tax in Ireland which is part of the EU. Scotland already offers period products for free.

This is another case of the UK gov dressing up a 'BREXIT benefit', but quietly ignoring the reality that they could have reduced the price at any time and even though they're doing it now, they won't actually drop the price on the end product. So actually there's singing and dancing to about BREXIT benefits but no material change

[Whatwouldscullydo]

Just because you don’t need an applicator to insert a tampax, some of us do. For me, it is nothing about flow, but without the applicator, I just can’t get it in the right place and I know I am not the only one in my friends who struggles with this

Obviously everyone is different. I do however believe though that there is a definite attempt within the marketing and thre production where they create a need then miraculously also create the solution. Be it applicators to counteract their shitty tampon ( likets are much smoother and easier to insert. They also expand width ways as opposed to lengthways like tampax) i think the way tampax is designed if u hadn't got it in exactly, you'd know about it more so than with other brands. They also panic you about smelling the provide sone expensive cotton feel memory foam sensitive solution fir when the scented crap burns your vag.

Obviously I know there are people who can only use certain types hence I dont advocate fir their removal in the slightest.

But I do wonder if in some cases marketing and shitty designs has knocked the confidence if its customers knowledge about their own body and encouraging them to part with ££ for problems related not to our usage or our bodies but their shitty designs..

[onlymyselftoanswerto1]

While I think it is a disgrace that sanitary protection is not deemed an essential, it should be noted that a decent proportion (I don't have the exact figures sorry but over £40million) of the revenue raised from the tampon tax was put into women's charities.
I used to work for women's aid and they received funding from the tampon tax to employ extra support workers and improve the refuge (just a couple of examples). I wonder whether such important and crucial funding will continue in absence of this tax, and if not, where will the funding for these services come from?

[Neversleepingever]

@Veterinari EU law requires members to tax tampons and sanitary towels at 5% if that's not an EU issue, I don't know what is.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-55502252

[Biscuitsanddoombar]

Exactly!! The EU announced (back in 2016 I think) that countries could make their own decisions on this, ironically heavily pushed by the UK

We could have abolished it a few years ago, the government chose to hold on to it & announce it now purely so they can say we’re already benefitting from brexit. It’s a classic ‘announce a “quick win” when trying to unite people behind change’ strategy

[Biscuitsanddoombar]

www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-35834142

[SunsetBeetch]

@Theunamedcat

Fingers might be perfect for insertion but not when you have to share a public toilet and need to use the sink

Likewise reusable san pro, particularly in unisex toilets.