In 2020, old products can be seen in a Scottish supermarket after the Scottish Parliament initially passed legislation making such products available for free.
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Jeff J. Mitchell/Getty Images
In 2020, old products can be seen in a Scottish supermarket after the Scottish Parliament initially passed legislation making such products available for free.
Jeff J. Mitchell/Getty Images
Period products, including tampons and sanitary pads, are now free in Scotland for those who need them.
From this week, menstrual products will be available in places such as pharmacies and community centres, thanks to legislation approved by the Scottish Parliament in 2020.
“Providing access to free periodic products is fundamental to equality and dignity and removes financial barriers to accessing them,” Social Justice Minister Shauna Robison said in a statement, calling the move “more important than ever” in the era of rising living prices.
“I am proud of what we have achieved in Scotland. We are the first, but not the last.” – said the member of the Parliament of Scotland, Monica Lennonwhich started offering in 2016.
In recent years, awareness has grown about how access to vintage goods can impact the education and economic stability of people who need them.
Scotland is the first country to offer periodicals for free on a national scale. Others, including New Zealand and Kenya, distribute free food in public schools.
In the US, a pack of tampons or menstrual pads costs $7 to $10 for a supply that can last a month or two. (Other products are designed to be reused, such as underwear or menstrual cups, and have a higher initial cost.) Disruptions in the supply chain have affected availability and increased costs.
According to a recent study by George Mason University, about 14% of American college students struggle to afford period goods, and the rate is much higher among black and Hispanic women. Researchers found that those who regularly couldn’t afford them were more likely to experience depression.
Women who struggle to afford basic necessities can forgo the cost of a box of tampons and turn to toilet paper or socks instead. A 2019 survey of low-income women in St. Louis found that nearly half said they had to choose between food and menstrual products at some point during the year. Assistance programs such as SNAP and WIC generally do not cover the cost of older foods.
Lack of access to period products can cause women and girls to miss school or work, the study found.
“Imagine trying to take a math test and you’re so afraid you’re going to crash,” Dr. Shelby Davis of the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia told NPR last year. “Like, how do you focus on that?”
Toilet paper and soap are provided free in public restrooms, advocates say, so why not period products?
In the US, some states, including New York, Virginia and Oregon, have passed legislation requiring K-12 public schools to provide school supplies for free. About a dozen states have exempted old goods from sales tax.
At the federal level, New York Rep. Grace Maine, a Democrat, introduced legislation last year that would require Medicaid to cover recurring foods and provide grants and other assistance to improve access to K-12 schools, colleges and universities, state federal buildings and places of detention. The bill remains in committee.
