Tesco has cut the prices on children’s toothbrushes, mouthwashes and toothpastes by 20 per cent to help families who are struggling during the cost-of-living crisis.

The supermarket said it will cover the VAT on seven of its own brand lines starting from this week to help prevent tooth decay in young children.

Most of the products originally cost £1 and dropped to 80p after the price cut.

Tesco cited research showing that around 24 per cent of five-year-olds had experience of tooth decay, with children living in the most deprived areas three times more likely to experience it. It added that around 6.5 million children in England have not been seen by an NHS dentist in at least a year.

Commenting on the news Oonagh Turnbull, head of health campaigns at Tesco, said: “Parents who are struggling to make ends meet shouldn’t have to make the difficult choice between looking after their children’s teeth and affording the weekly shop. Healthy teeth and gums shouldn’t have to be a luxury, which is why we’re making our kids’ oral care range affordable as possible.”

The supermarket is covering VAT on a variety of health-related products, including sunscreen since 2021.

Earlier this year, Tesco became the first supermarket to cover the cost of VAT on period underwear to make them more affordable for customers. The move followed a campaign started by Marks and Spencer to make period underwear exempt from tax.

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