#tampontax : soon 5.5% VAT on sanitary protection ?

"The tampon sticks in your throat (and wallet)!"

This was the closing phrase on the recent online petition on Change.org, by the Georgette Sand collective, grouping French consumers furious in having to pay sanitary protection (tampons, menstrual cups, towels...) at inflated prices. Whilst some everyday products, or basic necessities, benefit from advantageous taxes, tampons are taxed as high as some luxury products. 

In France, VAT on basic products, such as books or condoms, is fixed at 5.5% to improve access to products considered to be necessities. But far from being essential, other items benefit from this reduced tax for other reasons. Amongst privileged products at 5.5%, we find truffles, foie gras, sodas, sales of works of art, fresh patisseries, ice cream and filled chocolate bites. However, sanitary protection is taxed at 20%, a difference which doesn't go unnoticed on the till receipt.

Since 2000, in the UK, the government taxes all sanitary products at 5% after years of taxation at 17.5%. However, "edible sugar flowers, alcoholic jellies and exotic meats including kangaroo and crocodile" are exempt from tax, notes the Change petition launched in the UK.

It is the same thing in Canada. Tampons and towels are treated as luxury produits. The Canadian petition includes a non-exhaustive list of tax-exempt products. We can find human sperm, wedding cakes and cocktail cherries. And to complete this rapid world tour of protests under the hashtag #tampontax, Australia has its own petition pointing the finger at this practice of taxing products that are necessary and essential for women. All these petitions will be sent to the respective governments, in the hope of a rapid change in VAT rates."