Tesco makes major change in stores from today to help save Brits money

21 August 2023 , 11:03

542     0

From today, Tesco will cover the VAT costs on period pants (Image: Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Tesco has cut the price of its range of F&F period underwear by covering the cost of VAT on them in a move to make them more affordable for customers.

From today, the supermarket chain's period pants, which are absorbent underwear designed to be worn as an alternative to tampons and sanitary towels, will be 20% cheaper and bringing them in line with other period products which have been exempt from VAT since 2021. The permanent reduction in price is across all eight lines of own brand F&F period pants sold by Tesco, with a three-pack of pants reduced to £14.40 from £18.00 and a single pack of pants now £6.00 - down from £7.50.

Last week the supermarket chain joined the "Say Pants to the Tax" campaign calling on the Government to reclassify period pants as a period product so they can be exempt from VAT like other period items. Currently, the product is classed as a "garment" which means they have 20% VAT added to them.

This isn't the first time Tesco has stepped in to cover the cost of VAT on its period products. In 2017, Tesco stepped in and covered the VAT costs on around 100 own label and branded period products such as tampons and sanitary pads. The Government later removed VAT on these products a few years later in 2021.

Speaking about the price reduction on period pants, Christine Heffernan, Tesco Group communications director said: “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.

Asda praised over inclusive kids clothing range with holes for feeding tubes

"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”.

Marks and Spencer recently launched the new "Say Pants to the Tax" campaign with the period underwear brand Wuka. M&S and Wuka calculated that their customers combined had paid more than £3million in VAT on period pants.

The open letter to the Government has been signed by 35 MPs and peers, the chief executives of M&S and Ocado, the publisher of Hello! magazine and several charities and non-profit organisations, including Breast Cancer Now, the Marine Conservation Society and Forum for the Future. Campaigners have also set up a petition for members of the public to show their support.

Ruby Flanagan