Tesco is the first official retailer to cover the cost of VAT on period underwear

Last week, Primark, M&S, WUKA and Tesco made a plea for the Government to scrap VAT on period underwear. As of today, supermarket Tesco has officially become the first retailer to cover to cost of VAT on period underwear.

Tesco has reduced the price of its F&F range of period underwear by covering the cost of VAT, in a bid to make the sustainable option more affordable for customers.

The 20% cost reduction brings the period pants in line with other period products, which have been exempt from VAT since 2021.

The permanent reduction in price spans all eight lines of Tesco’s own-brand period products. For example, a 3 pack of underwear has been reduced to £14.40 from £18.00 and a single pack is now £6.00 instead of £7.50. With this reduction, Tesco is offering market-leading value on this more sustainable, reusable option.

Tesco was the first retailer to cover the cost of VAT on nearly 100 own-label and branded products tampons and sanitary products back in 2017, ahead of Government’s move to remove the VAT which didn’t come into force until 2021. At the time, the Government failed to recognise period underwear as menstrual products and classified them as garments. However, the 'Say Pants to the Tax' campaign, which Tesco joined last week, calls for a change to this classification.

Period underwear is becoming increasingly popular and is viewed as a more sustainable approach to self-care during periods. Highly absorbent and made using anti-odour technology, period pants are designed to be worn instead of traditional menstrual products, such as towels and tampons, but can also be used as an added layer of protection.

Christine Heffernan, Tesco Group Communications Director, commented: "We know that the cost of buying essential period products can be a real struggle for many people. And we want to do our bit to help by covering the cost of VAT on period pants, helping to make this more sustainable option more affordable for customers.

"We were the first retailer to cover the cost of VAT on period products in 2017 and we’re proud to be helping customers again by covering the cost of VAT on period pants now, to make them that bit more affordable."