Make sanitary products free for women in the UK
The Issue
For 21 years, I have lived with the reality of my menstrual cycle, an experience shared by millions of women in the UK. Each month without fail, I find myself needing 25-30 sanitary towels every day of my period, which typically lasts seven days. This means I'm spending at least £9-£10 daily, equating to approximately £70 each month on essential, yet substandard, products that I never asked to need. The financial burden is significant and makes a challenging cost of living even harder to manage. Having to spend such a substantial amount on sanitary products often makes me think of resorting to extreme measures such as undergoing a major surgical procedure just to escape this unnecessary and relentless expense.
This is not just my reality, but that of countless women across the UK, who find themselves in a position where they must choose between basic necessities or having safe, sanitary coverage during their periods. Menstrual products are not a luxury; they are a basic necessity — like water or electricity. Charging women for what is essentially a biological necessity is both unfair and discriminatory.
While Scotland has made strides by providing free sanitary products to all, similar initiatives are yet to be implemented across the rest of the UK. This isn't just a call for economic relief; it's a plea for social justice. Free access to sanitary products would alleviate financial burdens for thousands of women, eliminate the stigma of "period poverty," and ensure every woman can maintain her dignity during such a natural bodily function.
The average woman will menstruate for about 40 years in her lifetime and will use up to 16,000 sanitary products. With the escalating costs, this is an unsustainable and unfair financial burden placed solely on women. In an effort to provide equality, we urge the UK government to recognise sanitary products as essential, not optional, and to legislate for these to be provided free of charge across the nation.
Please stand with us in this fight against period poverty and for economic equality. Your signature on this petition can drive change and help provide dignity and equality for all women in the UK. Sign now to demand action from the UK government.
511
The Issue
For 21 years, I have lived with the reality of my menstrual cycle, an experience shared by millions of women in the UK. Each month without fail, I find myself needing 25-30 sanitary towels every day of my period, which typically lasts seven days. This means I'm spending at least £9-£10 daily, equating to approximately £70 each month on essential, yet substandard, products that I never asked to need. The financial burden is significant and makes a challenging cost of living even harder to manage. Having to spend such a substantial amount on sanitary products often makes me think of resorting to extreme measures such as undergoing a major surgical procedure just to escape this unnecessary and relentless expense.
This is not just my reality, but that of countless women across the UK, who find themselves in a position where they must choose between basic necessities or having safe, sanitary coverage during their periods. Menstrual products are not a luxury; they are a basic necessity — like water or electricity. Charging women for what is essentially a biological necessity is both unfair and discriminatory.
While Scotland has made strides by providing free sanitary products to all, similar initiatives are yet to be implemented across the rest of the UK. This isn't just a call for economic relief; it's a plea for social justice. Free access to sanitary products would alleviate financial burdens for thousands of women, eliminate the stigma of "period poverty," and ensure every woman can maintain her dignity during such a natural bodily function.
The average woman will menstruate for about 40 years in her lifetime and will use up to 16,000 sanitary products. With the escalating costs, this is an unsustainable and unfair financial burden placed solely on women. In an effort to provide equality, we urge the UK government to recognise sanitary products as essential, not optional, and to legislate for these to be provided free of charge across the nation.
Please stand with us in this fight against period poverty and for economic equality. Your signature on this petition can drive change and help provide dignity and equality for all women in the UK. Sign now to demand action from the UK government.
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Petition created on 14 March 2026