Tesco will reduce the price of its own brand period underwear by covering the cost of VAT to make them more affordable to customers, the retailer has announced.

The twenty per cent reduction in price brings the period pants in line with other period products which have been exempt from VAT since 2021.

Tesco recently joined a campaign started by Marks and Spencer which called on the government to scrap tax on period underwear. Since it launched, the campaign has attracted over 22,000 signatures with a number of MPs and charities voicing their support.

Primark has also joined the campaign, with all three retailers promising to pass on the VAT savings to customers if the government removes it.

In 2017, Tesco was the first retailer to cover the cost of VAT on around 100 own label and branded sanitary products before the government removed the tax.

Christine Heffernan, Tesco Group communications director, said that the cost of buying essential period products could be a struggle for many people.

“We want to do our bit to help by covering the cost of VAT on period pants, helping to make this more sustainable option more affordable for customers,” she continued. “We were the first retailer to cover the cost of VAT on period products in 2017 and we’re proud to be helping customers again by covering the cost of VAT on period pants now, to make them that bit more affordable”.

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