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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think a tax on nappies is unfair?

291 replies

colacolaco · 31/08/2021 22:52

It just seems like yet again, it’s the poorest families who will be penalized and suffer most from this.

And what next - a tax on sanitary pads and tampons? Because guess what, they’re not very environmentally friendly either.

OP posts:
Anothernamechange3 · 31/08/2021 22:56

Why can’t they tax the manufacturers more based on amount of plastic packaging they use instead of it all being up to us? The idea that we take our reusable bags to the supermarket to fill them with food covered in unnecessary plastic just doesn’t make sense to me. If it was solely about the environment and not money, surely that would be a more effective way to start?

Sarahlou63 · 31/08/2021 22:57

I found out today that it takes a disposable nappy 500 years to decompose.

500 years.

I don't know the answer to your question but that shocked me.

Niconacotaco · 31/08/2021 22:57

I agree. I don't have a tumble drier. I don't know how I would have coped with reusable nappies and paying extra tax wouldn't help me afford a lovely big kitchen to fit a drier in.

muffinffaces · 31/08/2021 22:57

Yes I think it's unfair

Milkbottlelegs · 31/08/2021 22:58

I thought it had been confirmed this wasn’t in the plans?

And given that tax on tampons has only recently been dropped I can’t see this being reintroduced in the near future.

londonrach · 31/08/2021 22:59

Agree...worse on parents with less money. Yanbu.

Ducksurprise · 31/08/2021 23:00

@Niconacotaco

I agree. I don't have a tumble drier. I don't know how I would have coped with reusable nappies and paying extra tax wouldn't help me afford a lovely big kitchen to fit a drier in.
Nor the electricity to run them. Nor the upfront cost to pay for them.
Original poster
colacolaco · 31/08/2021 23:01

I found out today that it takes a disposable nappy 500 years to decompose.

@Sarahlou63 yes, and it takes sanitary pads and tampons a similar amount of time to decompose. Should we hike the prices of those up too?

Don’t get me wrong, I’m very concerned about the environment. I just worry that it’s parents who have very little money already who will struggle the most with this.

OP posts:
00100001 · 31/08/2021 23:01

Maybe more people will consider cloth nappies this way?

Newrumpus · 31/08/2021 23:02

@Sarahlou63

I found out today that it takes a disposable nappy 500 years to decompose.

500 years.

I don't know the answer to your question but that shocked me.

How did you find this out?
Original poster
colacolaco · 31/08/2021 23:03

Why can’t they tax the manufacturers more based on amount of plastic packaging they use instead of it all being up to us?

I suppose the cost would still be passed onto the consumer even if they did do this. So it’s a lose-lose for those with less money.

OP posts:
nancy75 · 31/08/2021 23:03

Up until January of this year we did pay VAT on tampons & pads.

MrsGhastlyCrumb · 31/08/2021 23:06

@Niconacotaco

I agree. I don't have a tumble drier. I don't know how I would have coped with reusable nappies and paying extra tax wouldn't help me afford a lovely big kitchen to fit a drier in.
I used cloth nappies with both my children, and never owned a tumble drier. It's really not as much hassle as people seem to think, or at least I didn't think so?
RainbowMum11 · 31/08/2021 23:07

Even if I could afford cloth nappies, I worked throughout, and XH was self employed so did too, I had enough to manage, and while there are so many reasons why I would've gone for reusable, the washing & drying was what put me off.
It wasn't the cost.

Original poster
colacolaco · 31/08/2021 23:07

Up until January of this year we did pay VAT on tampons & pads.

True. But why reduce the tax on one product only to increase it on another - both of which affect mums in particular? Talk about robbing Peter to pay Paul, or whatever the expression is.

OP posts:
Sarahlou63 · 31/08/2021 23:09

@colacolaco

I found out today that it takes a disposable nappy 500 years to decompose.

@Sarahlou63 yes, and it takes sanitary pads and tampons a similar amount of time to decompose. Should we hike the prices of those up too?

Don’t get me wrong, I’m very concerned about the environment. I just worry that it’s parents who have very little money already who will struggle the most with this.

So maybe the government should be making disposables more expensive but exempting reusables nappies from VAT and making mooncups/biodegradable sanitary wear tax deductible and/or subsidising the cost to that of well below tampons or towels?

Having not had any children ever and no periods for 10 years I don't have that much interest going forward, but that 500 year figure shocked me. Also knowing that my first ever toothbrush is still in landfill somewhere. Shock

laurenlodge · 31/08/2021 23:12

Women don't choose to have periods, so equating nappies and tampons isn't really a relevant analogy is it.

JackieChiles · 31/08/2021 23:14

If they tax the manafacturers they will just pass the cost on anyway. It would hit poorer people harder but doesn’t VAT do the same? Is it fair to pay a flat percentage of VAT on necessary items like petrol, electricity, prams, car seats, and adult clothing and shoes? Everything hits poorer people harder.

The trouble is we all need to change our consumption habits, not just the people who can’t afford the tax increase. I would almost say the tax on things like nappies should be very very high? If it were set high enough even financially comfortable people to look for options that don’t contribute to the impending climate disaster.

UndertheCedartree · 31/08/2021 23:14

I used cloth nappies. I am on a low income and it saved me a tonne of money. I don't have a tumble drier (nor a big kitchen with room for one). It was fine. I don't agree with a tax on disposable nappies but it would be good if more people tried cloth nappies. At the time my council was running a scheme where you got a few free to try out.

beetuljoos · 31/08/2021 23:15

I used cloth nappies as a young, skint parent with no tumble drier or outside space for a clothes line. It's not very expensive upfront, nor overly difficult. Many councils also give grants for cloth nappies.

Lockheart · 31/08/2021 23:17

I think if you want the convenience of a disposable polluting item over a more environmentally friendly option then yes you should have to pay for the privilege of having your consequent rubbish sit in landfill for several hundred years, for example.

The same principle applies for cars, energy, travel, clothing etc.

All of our choices have consequences. Up until quite recently we've been able to do what we like and consume what we like and throw away what we like without really having to ever think about it. Unfortunately that's not sustainable.

ActonSquirrel · 31/08/2021 23:18

You can't really compare tampons as they are so much smaller.

Potty training doesn't start until about 3 now so that's an extra year a child is in nappies and they are huge nappies at that age.

Most people don't bother to empty the poo down the toilet to be dealt with by sewage as you're supposed to do. You're not supposed to thrown human feces in a bin but there you have it...poo inside a plastic nappy rotting in landfill.

RubyGoat · 31/08/2021 23:25

How long does it take for happy meal toys to decompose? Or the toys from comics? Or cereal boxes? Or the 3 layers of mixed plastic packaging from numerous overpackaged food items sold by supermarkets?

I'm not arguing against promoting cloth nappies. It's a good thing to do. But I think there are better places to start. And there needs to be more carrot before the stick is used.

Ylvamoon · 31/08/2021 23:26

RainbowMum11- there are now happy laundry services available...