Well done Tesco! Late last week the retailer announced plans to effectively scrap the so-called tampon tax in its stores by reducing the price of women’s sanitary products.
This means the price of nearly 100 own-label and branded products, such as tampons and sanitary towels, in Tesco has been slashed by 5% to cover the cost of the tax, ahead of government proposals to remove VAT on the items.
Admittedly, this only equates to a saving of 10-15p on the average box of tampons, meaning most women would be better off by less than a fiver every year. It’s hardly a life-changing sum. But in this case, it’s not about the money – Tesco is taking a stand for its customers.
What’s more, Tesco is going above and beyond its original promise, which was to pass on the saving to its customers when the government’s proposed removal of the tax came into force, following concerns that big businesses could benefit from the move instead of consumers.
It’s a smart decision. While we won’t get into how ludicrous the tax is in the first place, it’s great to see a big retailer standing up for the beliefs and needs of many of its consumers. We’ve seen recently with Boots and the morning-after pill debacle the outrage that can be caused when retailers try to take the moral high ground, and in the process discriminate against their customers.
It’s not the first time Tesco has taken a stand. Just a few months ago, it cut the price of women’s standard razors to match that of men’s after it was pointed out women were paying double price simply because their razors were pink.
In a world where gender discrimination is high on the agenda, seeing a major retailer take a stance against it is thoroughly refreshing. Hopefully, other retailers will follow suit.
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