The price of tampons could pose a serious health risk to women on low incomes, says Labour MSP
The price of tampons could pose a serious health risk to women on low incomes, according to Scottish Labour.
With the average woman using 12,000 feminine sanitary products during their lifetime, the party’s inequalities spokeswoman warned the cost could lead to many not following medical guidelines on their use.
Monica Lennon MSP said the price was “clearly significant” to household budgets and called on ministers to back a study into the feasibility of providing free sanitary products to low income families.
It comes after the health secretary stated the government currently has “no plans” to introduce free sanitary products. Responding to a parliamentary question from Lennon, Shona Robison said tampons and other sanitary products were often provided at foodbanks.
With some families in Scotland forced to choose between heating and eating, we would be very surprised if women and girls were not also going without adequate sanitary protection
However, Lennon called the minister’s response “astonishing”.
She added: “The SNP Government insists that feminine hygiene is not a health issue, even though lack of access to feminine hygiene products can lead to very serious health issues. Women and girls should change the products every four to eight hours and if they do not it can lead to toxic shock syndrome.
“It is possible that women and girls may not change products as regularly as they should due to the cost.
“I intend to press the Scottish Government to carry out an assessment of the cost of feminine hygiene products to women and girls. I will also consult relevant organisations such as women's charities to ascertain whether the most disadvantaged women and girls in Scotland are struggling to pay for these products.”
The call has been backed by feminist charity Engender Scotland.
Director Emma Ritch said: "Menstrual hygiene products are not cheap. With some families in Scotland forced to choose between heating and eating, we would be very surprised if women and girls were not also going without adequate sanitary protection. The demand for such products from foodbanks tells us that this is likely to be the case.
"International work tells us that an insufficiency of menstrual hygiene products can stop girls going to school, breaches the dignity and rights of female prisoners, and causes profound additional health challenges to homeless women.
“If a lack of menstrual hygiene products is a barrier to girls and women in Scotland, then we need to know about it, and then remove it."
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “We have invested in a range of other services to support people on low income or facing acute income crisis and tackle the underlying causes of poverty.
“We are taking action in a range of areas, including investing in affordable housing, increasing childcare, demonstrating our commitment to a real Living Wage, and spending £100m a year mitigating against the worst of UK Government welfare changes.
“We also recently re-appointed Naomi Eisenstadt as independent advisor on poverty and inequality, and we will publish a Fairer Scotland action plan later this year.”
