New Petition Calls on UK Government to Categorize Period Pants as Menstrual Products

As reported by The Independent, the company WUKA recently published a petition calling on the government of the United Kingdom to include period underwear under the list of items they consider to be ‘menstrual products’. This classification would reduce the tax charged on period underwear, as the value-added tax (VAT) currently applied to menstrual products will be waived in 2021. 

Disposable menstrual products will be sold tax-free as of next year (they are currently taxed at a rate of five per cent). In comparison, WUKA period underwear are taxed at 20 per cent, with no commitment to reduce this number. In an Instagram post, the company has expressed their frustration with the current state of affairs, pointing out the injustice in the policy which requires consumers making sustainable choices for their menstrual products to pay a tax that will be eliminated for disposable products.

Considering the current global state of the environment, sustainable choices should be encouraged and rewarded by the government, not ignored or penalized. For this to happen, environmentally conscious products like period underwear must be given their due consideration. If you are based in the UK, you can sign the petition here.