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!

Hmmm. Maybe sainsbury’s could start with trying to eliminate single use plastics from their supply chains, delivery service and maybe all ready meals before they mess with a single use plastic we don’t need but does at least help some women? Nah. I bet that would be too much like hard work.

I think you need to persevere with non applicators. Like lil lets. Only when I started using them did I realise what an epic waste of time applicator tampons are (environmental issues aside).

SachaStark

What are those period pants like? Do you have to change them during the day or are they supposed to act as an all-day solution?

You complain there's other things they could be doing...got to start somewhere. Straws were first...
Meh

Yabu. You are the given a solution and you say "something to look into"...

So they’ll keep selling disposable nappies and pull ups for kids of past wearing nappy ages and oh those plastic nappy sacks I bet.
I’ll stick to ordering my plastic applicator Lilletts from Amazon then.

Disposable nappies should be near the top of the hit list, IMO. (they need to find some affordable and not-nasty alternative first, though!).

But they do have these! Check out The Nappy Lady for more and advice. There are very expensive reusable nappies out there (though they do also sell well, so you can get money back), but I've saved a lot of money with reusables, with very limited nastiness.

Horehound

What am I supposed to say? I can't guarantee that I'm going to get on with the reusable applicator. All I can do is look into and give it a try if it seems like a good option.

I don't find non-applicator ones cope well with heavy periods. They don't seem to expand in the same way as applicator versions and I end up leaking. I don't fancy sitting around all day in my own blood so no thanks to period pants or pads. Wouldn't feel confident about a mooncup being able to hold things securely!

I think Sainsbury's are just virtue signalling.

OP, it's a bit crap that you end up taking the consequences of this when other people will be able bang on about the merits of Mooncups etc whilst flying abroad several times a year and driving gas-guzzling cars. They probably don't have cervical prolapses either, which rule out Mooncups (unlike me).

FWIW, I'm not overly interested in plastics or the planet. However, I don't drive anywhere under 10 miles (I cycle), I don't use aeroplanes, I have carried canvas bags around with me for shopping since about 1990, have an allotment so never buy imported or plastic-wrapped fruit and veg, and am in fact generally, accidentally, ok environmentally. I do, however, object to other people telling me that this is how I need to be, and I'm not going to start preaching to anyone else. If this makes any sense.

I use non-applicator tampons, just because they are the most comfortable for me. If plastic applicator ones were the most comfortable, I'd be using them, and I'd be gunning for anyone, including Sainsbury's, who tried to tell me I couldn't.

Why are some women unable to comprehend that we come in all different shapes and sizes therefore what works for them might not work for someone else?

Personally I found the plastic applicators scraped my insides but cardboard was fine. Non applicator were a complete no-go.

If the reusable applicators don't work for you OP then YANBU.

@caddywally, YY, they're definitely different, and I do believe some people might find the plastic easier, as I find the cardboard easier.

ChipOffTheOldCock

It's not really a second of nipping - it's to the point where I can't use them. I'd sooner use pads than a cardboard applicator tampon, but they're not particularly great for the environment, either.

I found Lillets better than Tampax applicator ones because.they expand width ways not length ways so leak less. Now I've got a mooncup I don't use tampons at all. It's so much better in every way.

ChipOffTheOldCock

Sex often hurts, too, and I'd imagine some other women who have trouble with certain types of tampon might say the same. It's not a tampon-exclusive problem, unfortunately.

MyCat, you are so right. I gave up with tampons about 30 years ago, because I couldn't get on with the cardboard (and, then, plastic) applicators. Then a friend suggested non-applicator tampons (Lil Lets), after I'd spent the intervening 30 years thinking I was condemned to pads. They are brilliant - for me. But they might be completely crap for another woman. If Sainsbury's are worried about plastic, they need to stop selling their avocados wrapped in the stuff, and leave women's sanitary protection alone. After all, nobody gets on better with a plastic-wrapped avocado, do they?

@ChipOffTheOldCock for me personally it's my shape and the angle I'm at. Similar to a pp I had to get into a non standard position for smear tests.

@ChipOffTheOldCock for me, I have pain in my vagina caused by endometriosis that isn't always there when I'm not on my period, which means that most tampons are painful to insert. For some reason tampax Pearl don't hurt as much.

As for a mooncup, it will go in but it will never open fully and I have tried everything.

Just buy non applicator ones. Stick yer finger up yer fanny and get over it.

@ChipOffTheOldCock I can use a menstrual cup, occasionally I use lillets applicator tampons. I can't use tampax at all or none applicator ones - they fold over, tried one recently and it ended up bent in half

Chip, I can't use a Mooncup due to cervical prolapse post DC1 (this has been verified by Mooncup). So they don't work for everyone. I'd use one, if i could.

Most women have penetrative sex - which means that a penis is going into their vaginas. How can they not fit a tampon/mooncup in?

Similarly for not being able to use without applicators. It's like on threads about doing away with single use wet wipes (which, btw, should totally be targeted before sanpro) - someone always comes on to.say how hard it would be for a very small group of people, as if (a) there weren't alternatives for many years before and (b) as if that should make it ok to keep them fully stocked in every supermarket, instead of perhaps on prescription for the tiny number who actually can't manage without. We've let the environment get to a point where a little bit of . discomfort will actually be required to.make even a small improvement.