Tampon Tax

[tacky]

AIBU to think people who would rather avoid the tampon tax should try the Mooncup?

People use the same one for years and many claim they would never return to tampons. I think they are around £25 so would save a whole lot of money

I wanted to love my moon cup. I do for the first two days. tmi alert as I have very very heavy periods for 5 days at a time , after two days I'm sore from all the opening closing manoeuvreing releasing the 'seal' popping the seal, it's too much. I have to have a 5 day break afterwards as I'm in pain.

Either way sanitary products shouldn't carry a tax. Their use is non optional

I love my mooncup, it has saved me a fortune over the last 15 years that I've had it.

But I still think that tampons should be VAT free

Same as my continual moan that glasses shouldn't be so bloody expensive - I can't actually help being short-sighted, same as I can't help being female.

Thank goodness I'm past that stage now! Shame I'm no better off ££-wise...hmmm...

oops - accidental awful pun there - sorry!

Cookingongas have you considered Femmecup? I find it much softer and easier to use but with no obvious loss of capacity (I have same heavy period problem).

I used a Mooncup for nearly ten years and thought it was great, sung its praises from the rooftops.
Then I started getting thrush like symptoms every period. I decided to splash out as I had had my old for so long and bought a new one. Still got the symptoms. Started using pads (which I hate) no symptoms. I can't bring myself to try the Mooncup again.

Then I started getting thrush like symptoms every period

I'm using my mooncup for the second time and I've noticed this (been using it since Saturday). It did occur to me that it might be caused by the mooncup but I hope I don't have to go back to normal sanitary products as it's so much more convenient

I use a mooncup and have done for some years.

But if you are perimenopausal and have periods that are heavy that, without wanting to sound patronising, younger women can not imagine, you really do need water and loo paper to use one. Grass wouldn't work. Without wishing to sound gross, you can look like a butcher when you've removed it. And the blood often keeps gushing out while you remove the m/c, if you are going through one of the stages where the bleeding is like a tap being turned on.

Sorry for TMI, but I was really shocked when I hit perimenopause at the amount of blood there was in periods. The m/c is actually quite useful because you can doctors and nurses exactly how much is being lost. None of this 'teaspoon' a period nonsense.

i was thinking of trying a mooncup but it sounds like they are not good for heavy periods? i need tampon plus towel and regular (hourly) changes some months

I simply don't want to use a moon cup.. I could give you a long detailed answer of why but it is irrelevant... I realise this is EU issue and not a uk issue.. however yes I disagree with anyone in Europe paying tax on sanitary products...For me it isn't about not been able to pay it is about the inequality in a product that all adult women/ teens need that is classed as a luxury

I use a mooncup and have very medium flow periods - not particularly heavy at all. But they always leak on the first two days, and I cannot fathom why.

The seal is intact, and the the cup itself is not full when I go to change it. What is going on?

The upshot is, I may no longer need to buy tampons (thank goodness), but I do need to now buy liners.

And what is this idea that tampons are taxed because they're a 'luxury item'?

It's not just luxury items (which tampons obviously are not) that are subject to VAT.

I bought a Mooncup after all the recommendations on here and found it impossible to insert. So that was a waste of £25! Mirena's been a much better solution for me.

I'm another one who loves my mooncup, although it is tricky if I'm at work and have to change it (also perimenopausal, so familiar with the gorefest that surrounds that).

I just about manage on the first two days with two mooncups, a waterproof bag to put the gory mooncup in, a pack of wipes, and a good supply of reusable cloth sanitary pads which I made myself even though I'm shit at sewing and that makes me feel bizarrely proud of myself.

As for tax: I heard that toilet paper is subject to VAT at 20%. Maybe that's not right; I'm too lazy tired to check. But for me the problem is that so many things that everyone needs to buy are subject to VAT, whereas it would be fairer to increase income tax for those on higher salaries, and property tax on those with more valuable property. I think the whole tampon tax outcry is a red herring.

Gordon Brown when he was Chancellor was reputed to remove VAT from women's 'sanitary wear'.

"Gordon Brown when he was Chancellor was reputed to remove VAT from women's 'sanitary wear'."

That's slightly garbled. What he did was reduce it to the lowest rate possible within the existing EU rules, which meant a cut from standard rate to the 5% rate.