Value-added tax or sales tax charged on feminine hygiene products
Feminine hygiene products are subject to tax in a number of countries.
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Tampon tax (or period tax) is a popular term used to call attention to tampons, and other feminine hygiene products, being subject to value-added tax (VAT) or sales tax, unlike the tax exemption status granted to other products considered basic necessities. Proponents of tax exemption argue that tampons, sanitary napkins, menstrual cups and comparable products constitute basic, unavoidable necessities for women, and any additional taxes constitute a pink tax.
Proponents of tax exemption argue that tampons, sanitary napkins, menstrual cups and other products which serve the basic menstrual cycle constitute unavoidable necessities for women and should be classified alongside other unavoidable, tax-exempt necessities, such as groceries and personal medical items.[1][2] The BBC estimates that women need to use feminine hygiene products for about a week each month for about 50 years.[3] According to the American Medical Association over 17,000 menstrual hygiene items are needed in a user's lifetime amounting to a cost of around 2,000 dollars.[4] While sales tax policy varies across jurisdictions, these products were typically taxed at the same rate as non-essential goods, such as in the United States, while other countries, such as the United Kingdom and Ireland, reduced or eliminated their general consumption tax on sanitary products.[2][3] When asked about equivalent exemptions for men, proponents argue that no male products, condoms included, are comparable to feminine hygiene products, since menstruation is biological and "feminine hygiene is not a choice".[1] However, others argue that other basic necessities such as toilet paper are still taxed in many countries, for example in the UK at 20%.[5] As the vast majority of consumers of feminine hygiene products are women, the increased cost has been criticized as being discriminatory against women.[6] The tampon tax is not a special tax levied directly on feminine hygiene products.[2]
Since about 2004, many countries have abolished or reduced sales taxes for tampons and pads, including Kenya, Canada, India, Colombia, Australia, Germany, and Rwanda.
^ abCite error: The named reference WaPo: Garcia was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ abcCite error: The named reference USAT: NY was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ abCite error: The named reference BBC: international was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^"Why stigma prevents treating menstrual hygiene as essential". American Medical Association. December 16, 2020. Retrieved May 2, 2023.
^Cite error: The named reference Robertson2015 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^Cite error: The named reference Hinckley Journal of Politics:Public Discourse of Policies Concerning Menstrual Taboo was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
Tampontax (or period tax) is a popular term used to call attention to tampons, and other feminine hygiene products, being subject to value-added tax...
A tampon is a menstrual product designed to absorb blood and vaginal secretions by insertion into the vagina during menstruation. Unlike a pad, it is placed...
example, no VAT is charged on female sanitary products (the so-called 'tampontax') in the UK while GST still applies in Jersey. Some items are GST zero-rated...
activist and author. She is the founder of Stop Taxing Periods, the campaign to abolish the tampontax in the United Kingdom and make menstrual products...
sales taxes. Gross receipts tax Sales tax Use tax U.S. State Non-resident Withholding Tax Sales taxes in Canada Sales and use taxes in California Tampon Tax...
menstrual hygiene products and advocates for ending what is known as the tampontax. In January 2020, Okamoto stepped down from Period Inc. as executive director;...
misconception is that tampons and other menstrual products are taxed as a "luxury item" because they are subject to sales tax in 30 states as of February...
may also be called menstrual hygiene products, including menstrual pads, tampons, pantyliners, menstrual cups, menstrual sponges and period panties. Feminine...
voting in 2015 with the government to oppose the removal of the so-called tampontax levied on female sanitary products as the UK could not zero-rate VAT on...
Samuel (November 5, 2021). "Whitmer signs 'tampontax' bill to exempt feminine hygiene products from sales taxes". mlive. Retrieved June 13, 2023. Eggert...
adopted when her motion to abolish the "TamponTax" was passed. On 21 March 2016, the government acknowledged that the tax would be abolished. Both the Prime...
programmes. Public toilets Period underwear Sustainable Development Goal 6 Tampontax Period. End of Sentence. Water issues in developing countries UNICEF (2019)...
period products, including tampons and pads, free and available to access in public buildings. 2021: Britain abolished the tampontax, meaning there is now...
the original on December 20, 2019. Retrieved December 20, 2019. "Is 'TamponTax' discriminatory to women?". WCPO. March 31, 2016. Archived from the original...
BBC News. BBC. Staff writer (17 March 2016). "Deal reached to scrap 'tampontax', officials say". BBC News. BBC. Staff writer (16 March 2016). "Budget...
period underwear was brought in after tampontax campaigners had raised the issue in an attempt to get the tax removed. Some companies (like Thinx, Ruby...
through the House at this time, the first of which abolished the so-called "tampontax" on feminine hygiene products, while the second banned the use of "pay-to-pay"...
through the House at this time, the first of which abolished the so-called "tampontax" on feminine hygiene products, while the second banned the use of "pay-to-pay"...
Officer, Maritime and Coastguard Agency. For Public Service. Laura Coryton. TamponTax Campaigner, Author and Co-Founder, Sex Ed Matters. For services to Charitable...
of period tax also referred to as tampontax continues to gain traction, with various activists on Weibo calling for the abolition of the tax by the Chinese...
Illustrators for Gender Equality International Men's Day Potty parity Tampontax Women's Equality Day Transgender Theaology, Feminine divine The ILO similarly...