We’re so excited to share with you that we’re now paying the tampon tax on behalf of all our menstrual warriors for all our feminine care subscription products. Why? Because period products aren’t a luxury, they are a bloody necessity.
What is the tampon tax?
So, the tampon tax is the money we have to pay to the government because of the VAT charge added to the sale of sanitary products. In the UK, the standard VAT rate is 20%, but there are some things which are charged at 5% like sanitary products after the Labour party ruled to reduce it in 2000.
Why is the tampon tax unfair?
The reason sanitary products are taxed is that they’re classed as a luxury non-essential items rather than unavoidable basic necessities – crazy right?! Anyone who’s had a period knows that they really aren’t a luxury. And while 5% might not sound like much, that’s not the point. The tampon tax is a tax on women’s biology that financially penalises women for simply existing – and it’s totally sexist and opportunistic.
On top of that, 5% can add up to a lot of money over time. Period products are essential items and the cost of them can add up to be a real struggle on top of other essential items. When you think about how many boxes a woman, transgender or nonbinary person who menstruates will buy between their first period and menopause, periods can be pretty pricey.
So, what are EcoVibe doing to combat the issue?
We’re fighting for menstrual equality is what we’re doing! When you shop for our period products on subscription, we’ll pay the cost of the tampon tax on your behalf. This means that our sustainable period products will be available at a cheaper price as the VAT has already been covered by us – yay!
And that’s not all that’s great! By shopping your period products on subscription, you’ll have the added bonus of never needing to resort to the disposable plastic-wrapped, chemical-filled pads sold in supermarkets. PLUS, you’ll also get to avoid that awkward encounter with the hot cashier who’s always working every time you need to buy the super-absorbent pads for your heavy flow, win-win!
Sounds great - tell me more about your period products!
Knowing what’s going into our bodies should absolutely be a priority. Most of us have been using the same period products since we were teenagers, so we don’t always ask questions about them. But we definitely should be, as tampons can contain odour neutralizers, dyes, pesticides, fragrances and bleach, and the manufacturers don’t even need to disclose this (seriously, wtf?!). This lack of information is a serious issue and has flown under the radar for far too long since period has always been somewhat a taboo subject. We need to take back control.
EcoVibe’s new period products are made with just one ingredient: natural organic cotton which is grown without the use of fertilisers, pesticides or herbicides, and processed without chlorine too. That means absolutely no harmful chemicals.
And it’s not just better for you, it’s better for the environment too. Every last bit of our cotton period products (including the packaging) is sustainably sourced, recyclable and biodegradable. The cotton is Soil Association certified too!
You can shop our period products on subscription here.