High street retail giant, Marks and Spencer (M&S), has joined forces with period pants brand WUKA to call upon the government to remove the tax on period underwear.
The ‘Say Pants To The Tax’ campaign is urging financial secretary to the treasury, Victoria Atkins, to reclassify the reusable pants as a period product in this year’s autumn statement.
The campaign follows the government’s removal of the ‘Tampon Tax’ on products such as tampons, pads and menstrual cups in 2021. However, period pants still incur 20% VAT, because they are classified as ‘garments’ since they are reusable.
M&S and WUKA say, between them, their customers have paid more than £3m in VAT for period pants in the last two years.
M&S has pledged to pass the entirety of the cost saving (around £4 per pack) onto customers.
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The highstreet titan‘s public letter currently has more than 50 signatories, including 35 MPs and peers, as well as notable charities such as Wellbeing of Women and Bloody Good Period.
In addition, the ‘Say Pants to the Tax’ campaign will also call on the public to sign a parliamentary petition. Once it has recieved 100,000 signatures, the petition will be considered for debate in parliament.
“The government made a brilliant start by removing VAT from disposable period products, but we need them to finish the job and level the playing field so that whatever period product someone chooses to use, it is VAT free,” said M&S corporate affairs director, Victoria McKenzie-Gould.
“Nearly 25% of women cite cost as a barrier to using period pants – if they were classified as they should be – as a period product – the government can make this brilliant alternative to disposable products, a more cost-effective option for UK consumers,” she added.
The partnership with the progressive brand WUKA – which stands for ‘Wake Up Kick Ass’ and describes its mission as ‘smashing taboos’ – marks a significant move for the high street retailer in revitalising their image after M&S announced its rebrand in 2020.
Showcased in-store, the campaign will also promote M&S’ own period pant range, which was first introduced three years ago.
