Activists cheer as 'sexist' tampon tax is scrapped

By Mary-Ann Russon
Business reporter, BBC News

1 January 2021

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.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak committed to scrapping the tax in his March Budget.

Campaigners welcomed the end to what they called a "sexist tax" with activist Laura Coryton saying it was "about ending a symptom of sexism".

The UK was able to get rid of the tax now because it is no longer subject to European Union rules on sanitary products.

The EU is itself in the process of abolishing the tampon tax. ...

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