Activists Cheer As ‘Sexist’ Tampon Tax Is Scrapped
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on the BBC.
This is the first two paragraphs.
The 5% rate of VAT on sanitary products – referred to as the “tampon tax” – will be abolished in the UK from 1 January.
EU law required members to tax tampons and sanitary towels at 5%, treating period products as non-essential.
My late wife; C had very strong views about this and I suspect that my late mother and my granddaughter would share C’s views.
Is this a glimpse of the future, where when we feel European Union policy is wrong, we can diverge?
It would certainly be a good test of unfair policy by the UK government, if the EU objected and tried to stop us removing the tax.
At least smugglers, who decided to switch from smuggling drugs and other nasties to sanitary products would be doing something that caused less harm!
The Anonymous Widower 
Except “/EU law required members to tax tampons and sanitary towels at 5%, treating period products as non-essential.”/ is untrue, Ireland stopped charging VAT on sanitary products a while ago and they are still in the EU. Don’t ever treat the BBC as a source of information, they are politically briefed on such news items.
Tim
Comment by Tim Regester | January 1, 2021 |
The Irish rate was implemented before EU legislation imposed reduced VAT rates on certain goods and services. This legislation has prevented other EU members, like the UK, from reducing their VAT rate on sanitary products to 0%.
Comment by Malcolm W | January 2, 2021 |
The tax on sanitary products was 5%, however to describe it as sexist is a severe mis-appellation. Few women shave but most men do, albeit not out of absolute necessity, and the VAT rate on razor blades is 20%.
Comment by R. Mark Clayton | January 2, 2021 |
Most women shave, though not facial hair. They usually wax that or have it threaded. At 63 the removal of the tampon tax will not affect me directly. But I bet there are many places which won’t lower the prices by the relevant 5%. Let us be realistic, the government have bigger fish to fry!
Comment by Liz | January 2, 2021 |