To be annoyed that Sainsbury's will no longer sell plastic applicator tampons?

[caddywally]

It's not a massive issue at the moment because I can buy them elsewhere, but if other shops follow suit I'm going to be condemned to a life of using pads because I don't get on with non-applicator or cardboard applicator tampons. I can't use menstrual cups, either.

I understand the problem with plastic but don't see why women who rely on plastic applicator tampons should suffer when there is excess plastic everywhere. I already live a fairly eco-friendly life - no car, 1 holiday in the past 10 years, rarely eat meat, most of the stuff I own is second hand (mainly for financial reasons than anything else, admittedly) - and I don't see why I should have miserable periods when there are people whose lifestyles are much worse for the environment than mine. I also don't flush sanitary products down the toilet, which I assumed was common sense. I probably am being unreasonable and should just suck it up for the sake of environment!

Probably because customers at the sandwich aisle don't like the mouth feel of wooden spoons as much but haven't changed their behaviour to carry reusable cutlery if they might fancy a yoghurt

Those are just the type of things that should be targeted.

But don’t conflate medical and non-medical issues to try and prove we’re unreasonable.

If I don’t have a plastic spoon? I use a metal one (and yes I carry reusable cutlery and straws). If I don’t have the plastic applicator tampon? I’m not leaving the house for 3 days.

and it troubles me that people are putting convenience and comfort above fairly minor inconvenience for change

And there is the issue in a sentence.

Reducing menstrual issues to a “fairly minor inconvenience”

Utterly clueless.

Plastic applicators have only been around relatively recently. We have more choice in our feminine hygiene products than ever before. Its not a feminist issue. It is an environmental issue. One that we all need to start properly appreciating. All plastics need to stop.

You can get so many types of cloth pads and some are very absorbent. I would say my periods are average and they absorb fine. They are so comfortable and you just change as and when. The smell is far less than disposable pads. I would recommend buying a few different brands as the shape varies.

I also agree with Sacha. There appears to be very little action elsewhere on the parts of the large companies. Look at the plastic tat for sale, as stated, no one needs any of it so stop allowing it to be imported. Force people to change!

YABVU

It's one of the most single use of plastics - literally seconds then hanging around for centuries.

Yes there are other single use plastics they could target and I wish they would be more aggressive about it but this is a small step in the right direction.

2 months ago I had to go to 3 shops to find non-plastic applicator tampons. All the local mini-markets locally only sold Pearl. I complained and requested cardboard be stocked

And there is the issue in a sentence.

Reducing menstrual issues to a “fairly minor inconvenience”

Utterly clueless.

It's pretty much a perfect example of first-world problems!

On a different note, I wish bar shampoos and conditioners were more freely available in major shops. Even in London, I tend to have to go to lush, which I don't mind per se but it's an extra trip just to get shampoo. I know there are lots online but I like to be able to smell them first as I'm quite picky about scent.

I always buy bar soap (I get the Simple ones - paper wrappers) which is always easy to find, I just wish bar shampoo was as easy to pick up.

And it doesn't affect 50% because children will know no different so when they are old enough to need tampons, they will get used to the options out there. Many women don't have periods anymore. And for those who do, many don't use plastic applicators anyway!

Yes, I didn’t know any different when my periods starting at 12. I didn’t know that other girls weren’t having periods that lasted 20 days a month. I didn’t know other girls weren’t changing their pads after every lesson and still leaking. I didn’t know other girls weren’t ending up with open wounds a few days into their periods where skin was literally worn away by sodden pads. Doctors told me it was normal. By the time my endometriosis was diagnosed at 22, I was wearing tena lady pants half the month and sitting and sleeping on folded beach towels.

My skin is so damaged that it now takes very little to cause open wounds.

Forgive me if I’m not excited about a future where girls have to get used to this.

And if plastics being put into recycling aren’t being recycled, surely that’s a massive issue to be addressed.

It's pretty much a perfect example of first-world problems!

Sure. You might think being unable to leave the house for three days a month is a “first world problem”.

And I suppose for me i have the privilege to buy in bulk so I won’t lose out. Not everyone does.

It's not a feminist issue pretty sure men deciding what sanitary protection women can access is a feminist issue.

There's been a thread about this before
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/3613653-The-burden-of-going-green-to-fall-on-women?msgid=87874605

From my point of view I think there a huge effort in industry to try and put the focus on particular environmental issues to take the heat off the bigger issues where making changes that are needed will start to effect their bottom line.

Who knew farting cows were a bigger risk to society than big industry for example. Certainly in the UK this isn't the case, but we all believe it to be due to clever lobbying.

Similarly rather than Sainsbury's targeting say unnecessary plastic packaging in its own brand range that would be beneficial across the board and have little negative impact on consumers generally, it's picked on an item that will only effect women, and made that their green crusade. Yet not a word about deciding not to individually wrap sanitary pads or putting them in cardboard boxes instead of plastic wrap, all things that could be done easily without much pain yo the consumer.

I still hold a day of mourning for all tje women that died when the only choice was brick sized sanitary towels held on with a belt, or tampons only available to married women.

Branleuse

Can only assume you’re labouring under the misapprehension you’re witty. Poor you.

I wouldn’t “die” of course. I would however lose the two major clients I see on site on day one of my period because I can’t access bathrooms.

Just because some people don't need a plastic applicator does not make it 'unnecessary' and they have no right to get rid of it. Tampons are not a fucking luxury and in this day and age every woman has the right to choose what menstrual products they use.

@JacquesHammer

And there is the issue in a sentence.

Reducing menstrual issues to a “fairly minor inconvenience”

Utterly clueless.

Oh come the chuff on. I acknowledged that for some people alternative ways of using tampons aren't suitable.

If the truly are no alternatives, that is of course awful.

Unfortunately the inconvenient truth is that for many of the people protesting it is preference not necessity. Somebody mentioned "not wanting to sit in a puddle of my own blood" (use sanitary towels). That's rather dramatic language for something women have been doing (catching menstrual blood outside of the body) for almost forever. Methods have improved vastly in that time. It is a preference to want to catch it internally not externally. Although I'm sure that somebody will be along soon who is a swimming coach with a tilted uterus and who can't afford the reusable plastic applicator...

Branleuse women may not have died, but modern sanitary products have had a hugely beneficial impact on women being able to continue as normally as possible during their periods which contributes to women breaking down the barriers to women accessing work and education across the world.

I don't use tampons anymore so have no skin in this game as such but as a young teen I had immense problems accessing and appropriately using sanitary protection and remember just how embarrassed and ashamed I felt all the way through my periods for years.

I think some women have absolutely no idea that a period is much more than just a minor monthly inconvenience for a great number of women.

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/women-periods-female-discrimination-workplace-comments-colleagues-work-a9029431.html

Although you have to ignore the horrific use of the word 'menstruators' instead of women in the above article it does sum up some of the issues.

Periods are a feminist issue.

Reusable disposable products ARE a luxury.
Some peoples arses would also be less comfortable if they stopped making andrex. Doesnt make it a human right. We need something to adequately soak up our menstrual fluids. There are loads of options. Fact is, we need to quit with ALL the single use plastic and we need to welcome ALL the moves to reduce this, even if there is a period of adjustment to slightly less slidey applicators etc.
Stop whinging. These things are brand new inventions and they are commercial products which have been shown to be unnecessary for the majority and harmful to the environment.
You can use reusable stuff, even if you have to change more often or get used to it.
All this ridiculous wasteful single use plastic is going to have to go. ALL of it. Yes its less convenient, but the planet cannot take all your convenience products.

I don't see anybody 'whingeing' here? I think the government should look into why these things are not recyclable rather than take them away. Plastic is always going to be necessary for some things, and for a lot of people this is one of them. Just because you don't understand doesn't mean you can minimise people's legitimate issues. Maybe you should stop being so dismissive.

Personally I have found a solution for my own particular issues that 'could' work, and it would mean I would never have to use a disposable applicator. However, that solution is prohibitively expensive. And there's no guarantees it will work for me.

Reusable products, if they work for you, are great but also very expensive. Because the companies that make them know that people are usually quite dedicated to their particular cause and will pay stupid amounts of money. I've wasted so much money on menstrual cups that then had to be thrown away anyway because they just don't work for me.

Reusable sanitary pads are brilliant. Really comfy and fresh, easy to wash, not gross as I previously thought. Definitely worth a try.

Lots of things rare great, for the people they suit. Reusables are fine if you can afford them, have a washing machine and don't struggle to pay your water bills. Until you experience sudden flooding or develop fibroids.

Why are periods being targeted before disposable razors? No one needs to shave. Men can just buy a reusable razor.

Lots of things rare great, for the people they suit. Reusables are fine if you can afford them, have a washing machine and don't struggle to pay your water bills. Until you experience sudden flooding or develop fibroids

I use reusable nappies and washing these on long washes 3-4 times a week has added £40 a year to my metered bill, so the issue here is not about water cost.

Applicators are being targeted also because so many women flush them down the toilet, causing further issues.

I still don't see how we're ever going to make progress with environmental change if we don't accept that some inconvenience might be required. Like with disposable nappies - absolutely these, as well as disposable sanpro, should be available on prescription to those who have no alternative. But we cannot continue to make and throw away so much. The reality is that most (though of course not all) women using applicators are doing so due to ha it and/or the ick factor. And that's not a good enough reason, with the world the way it is.

We used to have cardboard applicators. They were fine.

"They were fine."

They were not fine for everyone BlueSkies. Read the thread and try to think of others.

What I find awful about reusables is not the cost of washing them, but the way they would just make life very difficult for any women and girls who live with male relatives and housemates. I just don't see it being a comfortable thing to do and I would have rather died than been seen washing blood soaked cloths in that situation.
Of course, we shouldn't be embarrassed, but life is as it is.
Periods are horrible enough to have to deal with without other women trying to make your life more of a misery.