Tesco is first retailer to make ‘period pants’ cheaper

Tesco has become the first supermarket to cover the VAT cost on period pants to help women with the cost of living.

The retailer recently announced that it has reduced the price of its F&F range of period pants by 20% in a bid to make them more affordable for customers.

Period pants are currently classed as garments by the government, rather than menstrual products, which means you have to pay VAT on them.

However, Tesco has decided to shoulder the cost and bring them in line with other sanitary products, which have been exempt from tax since 2021.

The permanent reduction sees a three-pack of F&F period pants reduced from £18.00 to £14.40, saving £3.60, while a single pair is now £6, down from £7.50.

The move comes after Marks & Spencer led a campaign alongside Tesco and period underwear band WUKA, urging the government to reclassify period pants as a menstrual product and abolish the tax.

Since 2020, M&S and WUKA customers alone have paid more than £3 million in VAT in period pants.