Anyone notice a lack of tampons and pads in the shops?

[AbsentmindedWoman]

Or AIBUnlucky?

I've tried multiple shops in two parts of London today and Saturday, and there seems to be much less stock and choice, with a lack of pads in particular Has anyone else noticed? If so - why?

Has there been a major shift towards mooncups and washable pads or somesuch?

InProgress - a mooncup sits much lower down - not up around your cervix like a diaphragm

OP - except for very heavy days, I don't need to empty my mooncup during the day at all, so it's much better in that respect than using other sanpro that needs regular changes

I have had a handful of periods in the last 15 or so years due to the implant and breastfeeding for 3.5 of them. I agree the implant, moon cups (although no one I know uses them, they’re talked about a lot so many must!), period pants, reusable pads etc all must account for a drop in demand.

I've always used Lil-Lets digital type tampons, but switched to the supermarket own-brand versions several years ago. I don't find any difference, but they're a lot cheaper.

Recently I've bought Aldi's version but they've been missing for a few months.

I don't want to buy a Mooncup as I'm on HRT and I hope I won't be having bleeds for that much longer.

I bloody HATE scented towels - just walking down the aisle makes me feel sick! It's impossible to try sniffing the boxes to see if they're scented as there's a heavy miasma to cut through and my poor nose can't cope.

I've started buying in Poundland or smaller shops with no swathe of fake flowers in the aisle.

What's with the labelling of these things? They no longer say scented, just something like fresh or odour neutralising. I tried a few boxes of the ambiguously labelled pads and found them to be scented as highly as the scented labelled versions. Very annoying.

The things with mooncups is that you don't tend to need to change them as often as pads/tampons. I would put it in at the start of the day before work and take it out again when I got home.

On a heavy day toilet roll is usually sufficient, quick wipe and back in.

I always put a bit of paper down before emptying as it stops the blood pooling in the bowl.

Oh I noticed this too and just thought my Sainsbury's had for some odd reason reduced their range.

I usually buy super plus extra, super and regular applicator tampons.
I could only get super non-applicator

Looked in Tesco the next day and they hardly had any either.

I use a mooncup and love it - agree with others about simply emptying and re-inserting in toilet stalls. The best way to get it in place and non-leaky is to squat on the floor with knees spread wide, then pop it in in the way they advise (insert while holding folded in half - it pings back to proper shape once in). When you stand up it's nigh inaccessible, but should be completely non-leaking. The aforementioned position is best way to remove it too, but it does need a bit of space (not ideal in a public loo when new to it).

Can someone recommend a reusable pad type? I need to do this.

I haven't noticed maybe because I can usually only find my favourite in boots anyway. No idea why Always Infinity pads haven't caught on here as they are wonderful. Also unscented.

I noticed it a few months ago and was struggling to get the size and type I wanted, thankfully (and long may it continue) I've got old and not needed any for the past 5 months.
I wondered about LARC too.

I noticed this too but filed it away in my brain but now this thread has reminded me!

Had to buy wings and cut them off a few times as usually ones not in shelves!

Oh come on, this is bonkers. you can get tampons at the garage !
Its UnBrexit, not WWII.

I noticed a while back (currently pregnant) that the range of pads had gone down in shops, some you had the choice between overpriced overscented shit, those rubbish rectangle ones you get for 20p and maybe some expensive organic lentil weaving ones - no decent midrange!

Once I’ve gone through my stockpile of maternity pads, I’m planning on going cloth - insertables have never done it for me.

I've also noticed a shortage.
I'm an applicator lilets user but they are becoming like rocking horse poo - non existent!!!
There is a real shortage of choice in brands in any one shop and usually not the whole range- so if you like always they might have regular pads but not super or maybe only night time pads.

Why as well are all the pads and tampons put on the same shelf as incontinence products? Maybe the recent increase in shelf space Tena Lady and similar products take up has stolen it from the tampon and pads space.

Maybe some one somewhere has done some market research and found there are more incontinent people than there are menstuating women in the world?

Anyway if anyone finds some appl8catir Liners, please do let me know. I'm off yo Home Bargains first thing as I see some one mentioned seeing them there. I might buy the entire stock as it's been a while since I have seen any.

Before my menopause I always used to buy organic tampons - no perfume or rayon so way less chance of TSS. Probably a few makes about (I bought Natracare) and ebay is a great place to get multi-packs cheaper than the shops.

For those of you with a mooncup is it supposed to go where a diaphragm does? I'm asking as I tried the latter but could reach to get the beggar out. Don't want to waste money on a mooncup if it's not going to happen.

A diaphragm sits much higher and it much shallower. The moon cup sits lower and is longer. I remember lying on the bathroom floor trying to get a diaphragm out. I’ve been using a moon cup for 15 years and never not been able to get it out.
As for washables I have Charlie Banana.

Ocado have Infinity

I haven't purchased any disposable products since I had lochia nearly 6 years ago. I had two period free years due to breasfeeding and stocked up on a moon cup and washable pads (Cheeky Mama) ready for my periods to return. Since then I've used a tampon once after being caught out.

In the past 10 years, there have been big gaps in periods from pregnancy, BFing and the implant although I did get sporadic breakthrough bleeds.

Buy some period pants or washable pads 🤷🏼‍♀️

What if people don't want to? I'm happy with Tampax with a cardboard applicator. I hate pads of any kind so would only wear them if I had no other option. The period pants sound vile and I don't think I'd trust them.

I’ve noticed it too. I now bulk buy from Amazon

It’s probably a combination of things. - mooncups, mirena coil, reusable san pro, aging population. I also think (going by threads on Mumsnet) that so many women hate scented pads and that seems to be 90% of shop stock that supermarket sales will have gone down.

I only change my menstrual cup at night so there’s no issue with using public loos.

They don’t leak so I keep using it until I stop bleeding.

It’s probably LARC. I took the plunge after DC2 was born, when the GP discussed contraception post birth. I’m now period free for 4 years. It’s amazing. It took me 6 months for the hormone to settle down, during which time I had acne and intermittent bleeding problems. But I’m a converter. It’s just so horrid to have periods.

@DerelictWreck "Who are all these people?! I don't know a single person who uses anything other than 'normal' tampons and pads,"

Once you get one convert to mooncup in a group of friends like me and @harper30 then they will spend a lot of time banging on about the wonder of them. Friends decide to see what all the fuss is about, love it tell their friends and the cycle (pun intended) continues!

If my friends kept 'banging on' about the 'wonder' of mooncups they would soon be ex friends!

I tried mooncup but I have short arms relative to the length of my torso and my hand really hurts trying to reach 'up there' in that sort of pincer motion to get it out! (TMI ).
So they are not for everyone.
Disappointing as I would love to be tampon/towel free.

Yes, I've definitely noticed a lesser range if that's the way to describe it. I remember 10 years ago, I'd come in to places like Boots and wouldn't know where to look: there were loads of choices of all kinds of types. Now, there are of course, pads and tampons on sale but the range doesn't seem to be anywhere near the same and you can come in to a pharmacy and not actually find what you need or the brand you are used to.

Not sure if mooncup is to blame or something else but there is definitely something affecting the market.

I tried mooncup but I have short arms relative to the length of my torso and my hand really hurts trying to reach 'up there' in that sort of pincer motion to get it out! (TMI ).

Definitely not for everyone. I tried them too and different sizes as well and although I am not finding any issues with the length of my arms, I am finding that these cups sometimes create quite a strong suction, which can make it difficult to pull them out. This can also be quite a messy process, which is, of course, a major pain at work and other public toilets.

Maybe this isn't something that everyone has experienced and I do think a lot of it probably depends on how your body is built so to speak. Some are lucky to find these cups easy and perfect. That wasn't my experience although I would also love to find a more environmentally friendly alternative to pads and tampons.