Editorial Issue 4: What the Pink Tax Tells Us About The Future of UK Politics

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The issue of feminine hygiene is one that has dominated the lives of women all over the world. With access to period products becoming extremely unattainable due to their high prices, we are seeing a rise in period poverty in the UK. The term ‘period poverty’ was coined to describe the situation in which people can no longer afford feminine hygiene products such as pads and tampons, resulting in menstruators having to resort to unhygienic alternatives. It was reported that over 54% of menstruators use toilet paper as an alternative to sanitary products which can be unsafe, putting them at risk for bacterial infections and irritations.

Period poverty specifically prevents people from low income backgrounds from accessing these necessary products and is an issue which can have fundamental impacts on the mental and physical well being of menstruators. It has been said that 1 in 10 menstruators face struggles with paying for period products on a monthly basis and as a result this prevents them from living their life as usual. Due to this, 49% of girls have resorted to missing school because of their period. A period can range from within 2 to 7 days and so missing this much school can have severe effects on a child’s education. It shouldn’t be the case that young children are suffering financial burdens and have to put their lives on hold as a result of this.

The issue surrounding feminine hygiene is heightened by the shame and taboo surrounding the topic of periods meaning that those suffering the effects of period poverty may feel ashamed of asking for help and will continue to suffer in silence. When in reality, period poverty affects most menstruators and unless we address the stigma surrounding periods by increasing the discussion around menstruation and making sanitary products more accessible, the issue of feminine hygiene will remain a prevalent struggle.

The abolition of the tampon tax in 2021 and the introduction of free hygiene products in schools and hospitals can be seen as a step towards ending period poverty, however there is still a long way to go to get there which we can see through the changes made by the Scottish government.

Up until January 2021, products such as tampons and sanitary pads were taxed at 5% by law in England and countries in the EU. The tax has been in place since 2001 and falls under the category of ‘pink tax’, as it exclusively targets people who use these products. However, as there are no concrete laws forbidding pricing discrimination on gender, it has been difficult to remove or reduce it in many countries. 

After Brexit, the ‘tampon tax’ was abolished in England in January 2021 by Rishi Sunak during his role as chancellor. The initiative came as a result of the government attempting to end period poverty across England, and another approach to this has been by providing free sanitary products in schools and hospitals. These decisions were made possible after leaving the EU, however, despite the removal of VAT on sanitary products, it has reportedly only led to an approximate 1% change in prices. The cut has not been passed on in full by retailers in England, as the benefits of the tax removal has been kept by retailers rather than by lowering the prices for the consumers. Dan Niedle, the founder of the advisory firm Tax Policy Associates, told The Guardian: “with the remaining 80% of the benefit retained by retailers. More likely, the retailers took all the benefit, amounting to £10m each year.” He moved on to explain that if the abolition of the ‘tampon tax’ was passed on to benefit the consumers we would see a significant change in prices - which is currently only at 1.5%.  

In comparison, the Scottish government decided to make all period products free in November 2020, under the Period Products (Free Provision) (Scotland) Bill. It is the first country in the world to make this free for everyone, and the act aims to help those with a lower income who cannot afford products such as tampons or sanitary pads. In order to make the access even easier, no extensive forms are required as the government doesn’t believe that anyone should have to justify their need for period products or their required amount. Therefore, the scheme not only hopes to help people in Scotland financially, but also helps reduce the stigma surrounding menstruation and the need for buying sanitation products. 

It’s not just tampon tax where Scotland has introduced laws significantly before the rest of the UK, suggesting a trend of forward-thinking policies that are often at odds with Westminster. The Gender Recognition Reform Bill was introduced by the Scottish parliament in December 2022; which would lower the minimum age to apply for a Gender Recognition Certificate to 16 and eradicate the requirement for a medical diagnosis of gender dysphoria to apply. It proved hugely controversial, with opposers travelling from across the country to protest in Edinburgh. Despite this, the passing of this unprecedented bill within the Scottish parliament is telling of the attitudes towards issues such as LGBT+ rights within the Scottish National Party, as well as society as a whole.  

Yet, the bill was ultimately blocked by the UK government in January 2023, utilising section 35 of the Scotland Act 1998. The act gives the Secretary of State for Scotland the power to veto bills if they fulfil certain conditions; the legislation is not sent to the King for royal assent, which is a requirement for a bill to be passed. First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has called the decision an ‘attack’ against the Scottish parliament; she tweeted on the 16th of January “If this Westminster veto succeeds, it will be the first of many”. This particular bill, and the response it garnered, is a symptom of a growing disparity between political attitudes in Scotland compared to the rest of the UK, raising the much-debated question of Scottish independence. Though 55% of Scots voted against independence in the 2014 referendum, the results of Brexit (62% of Scotland voted to remain in the EU) have caused a further strain on the country’s relationship to Westminster, with many feeling their voices are being ignored. 

Issues such as period poverty, the pink tax, and gender recognition may seem inconsequential to some, but are very telling of a government’s priorities. The contrast between social attitudes and the consequential government policies in Scotland versus England may foreshadow the future of British politics. For the time being, the future for those affected by these issues remains uncertain, yet one thing is clear; an increasing amount of people across the UK are becoming disillusioned with the decisions made by the current Tory government. 

Editorial Contributors: Sama Rabab, Benedicte Vagner and Isobel Knight