Given the climate crisis, you’d think that the government would be moving heaven and earth to make the greenest option the easiest and cheapest one too.

Not so – at least when it comes to menstruation. Tax may have been dropped for tampons and pads (from 2021) but sustainable period products like period pants still have a 20% levy on them.

That’s crazy; over the course of someone’s menstrual life, they can get through up to 15,000 pads and tampons – the vast number of which will end up in landfill as plastic waste. Tampons tend to come wrapped in plastic, encased in a plastic applicator with plastic strings for easy removal. Pads incorporate even more plastic – form the leak-proof base to the absorbent material.

Sustainable period pants may not be to everyone’s taste but they do offer a viable solution to those nighttime leaks – negating the need for a monthly splurge on night pads. Whatever reason you may not want to use sustainable period products, pricing shouldn’t be one of them.

The fact that the government recently announced that there’d be no period tax on tampons and pads from next year but failed to acknowledge reusable period pants as a menstrual product shows just how far we’ve got to go in changing attitudes towards sustainability.

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At WUKA we have been fighting a long battle with HMRC since the day we launch in the UK because when we were looking for VAT for a menstrual product, period pants was not even in the list.⁠ ⁠ But we never gave up and after two appeals, we got a response that the only way the VAT will change for period pants is through ministerial consent. So this May 28th, 2020 on menstrual hygiene day we applied for a UK petition to present our case in front of minister and government. After a month and 23 days, our application got reviewed and is now live. This is where we need you⁠ Please sign and share the petition wide and far so that we can start selling WUKA at more affordable cost x⁠ ⁠ Here is why we are fighting this battle. ⁠ ⁠ Currently, all disposable menstrual product is taxed at 5%. UK government announced in March that this will be reduced to 0% in Jan 2020. ⁠ ⁠ Currently, WUKA period pants are taxed at 20% and possibly if not appealed be 20% in Jan 2020. ⁠ ⁠ We think this is totally unfair. How come customers who are trying to live a sustainable life have to pay more.⁠ ⁠ How come people who want a healthier lifestyle have to pay more. ⁠ ⁠ This VAT appeal is for our customers, we want more people to try WUKA period pants at a reasonable price.⁠ ⁠ But in order for all our customer to benefit from a tax reduction, we need your help. We are on a mission to collect 100,000 signatures so that period pants tax can be debated in the Parliament⁠ ⁠ In return, us at WUKA we pledge:⁠ ⁠ We will reduce our recommend price down to reflect the VAT reduction.⁠ Reduction in VAT means more people can afford to switch to reusable⁠ if you are buying WUKA now at £20, you will be able to get is for £16 that's a huge difference.⁠ ⁠ #periodtax #axethetax #tampontax #periodpantstax⁠

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‘This creates an unfair playing field for reusable period pants which are forced to charge people 20% VAT yet one time use “disposable” tampons and pads will benefit from 0% VAT in the new year,’ says Ruby Raut, founder and CEO of eco-friendly period pants company, WUKA.

WUKA is now calling on the UK government to revise its pledge to address this inequality. The petition calls to make reusable period pants 0% VAT in the new financial year – making them as affordable as their disposable alternatives.

Manjit Gill, CEO and founder of period poverty charity Binti International says: ‘These (reusable) products will help us to eliminate single-use plastic from our world. They are cost-effective, good for the environment, and allow us to understand our periods better by handling our period blood without shame. A 20% discount for the end-user will encourage more users to convert.

‘They are period products so absolutely should be excluded from VAT as we move to #EndTamponTax.’

WUKA made two appeals to HMRC to change its definition of period pants as a ‘luxury’ – but it’s still not happened yet. HMRC now say that it’ll only recognise the, as a menstrual product if WUKA obstains ministerial consent that period pants are indeed a period product.

So…are period pants a luxury? Of course not!

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Does period pants tax affects you and if so how? We ask this question to more than hundred of our customer if the 20% VAT has impact in their life. Kirsty mum of two writes : “I have one pair at the moment, would love additional pairs but can’t afford them. They are so comfortable and help me sleep without worry of leaks. One pair is definitely not enough. My daughter will be starting her periods soon, and I would love her to have the choice of products, but would struggle with the price of the pants.” And she is not alone. There are tens and thousand of people who would love to switch to period pants. We need you help. Please sign our petition to remove 20% period pants tax

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Kasia is one of the women who wants to use them more but finds that the 20% tax makes them almost prohibitively expensive.

‘20% additional cost on an item that is a crucial part of how I am able to deal with menstruation every month is a large premium to pay and does mean that a product that has transformed how I feel about my periods is unaffordable to many.

‘While I support general taxation, menstrual products are an essential item and shouldn’t be subject to VAT, mainly a product that is so much greener than other options.

‘I have two young daughters and would like them to be able to approach periods without embarrassment, fear or discomfort and WUKA has given me a solution that is easy, safe and green.

‘I love that period pants have reduced my landfill waste from menstruation and I’m thrilled that I can offer my daughters a proper and comfortable option for their future that won’t have such a high ecological impact.’

To date, WUKA has saved 4 million tampons and towels from going to landfill or into the ocean; just one pair of pants is equivalent to taking 100 tampons out of landfill. That is massive, especially when you think that this is the stat for only one of the companies producing reusable menstrual products.

Even if period pants aren’t for you, the option to use them should be available – you shouldn’t be put off because of a premium price.

Ruby says that her company has pledged to reduce their recommended price down to reflect the VAT reduction if the government gets on board. That means more of us will be able to afford to make the switch – which means less plastic and more leakproof comfort.

You can sign the petition here.

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