Tesco scraps ‘period pants tax’ by covering VAT cost

Tesco has become the first retailer to cover the cost of VAT on its range of period pants, following an industry campaign (PA Archive)

Tesco has become the first retailer to cover the cost of VAT on its range of period pants, following an industry campaign calling on the Government to remove the 20 per cent tax that applies to the product.

The 20 per cent reduction in price brings the pants in line with other period products which have been exempt from VAT since 2021, the supermarket said.

The permanent reduction in price is across all eight lines of Tesco’s own-brand F&F period pants, with a three-pack reduced to £14.40 from £18.00 and a single pack of pants reduced to £6 from £7.50.

The announcement comes after Tesco joined the Say Pants To The Tax campaign, calling on the Government to reclassify period pants as a period product rather than garments in order for them to be exempt from VAT.

Marks & Spencer wrote an open letter to the Financial Secretary in partnership with period underwear brand Wuka earlier this month, calling for the removal of VAT from the pants.

Tesco group communications director Christine Heffernan 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.

“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.”