Explained: What is ‘tampon tax’? Is GST applied on sanitary pads, menstrual products in India?

Millions of girls across the world who are on their menstrual cycles struggle to manage their periods. This is mostly because of the lack of proper awareness and proper funds to afford hygienic and proper menstrual hygiene products, which are usually expensive.

According to a study conducted by the World Bank, over 50 crore women and girls across the world don’t have proper access to menstrual health products and continue to face obstacles in their daily lives because of their period cycles.

Menstrual products are usually considered expensive, since in India, the majority of sanitary pad brands sell their products for Rs 200 to Rs 300. This means that every month, a woman is expected to spend around Rs 500 to hygienically deal with her periods.

The phenomenon of many girls not being able to afford these products is called “period poverty”, which is currently on the rise in India due to a lack of awareness and products in a rural areas. However, the Indian government has taken various steps to ensure that this period of poverty is ended in the country.

What is tampon tax?

Tampon tax or period tax is the VAT or GST applied on menstrual products, which makes their prices skyrocket, making it hard for many to afford them. The tampon tax makes it impossible for many girls across the world to afford menstrual products, eventually hampering their education and work life.

Period tax still exists in many countries, while items like toilet paper, over-the-counter medicines, and condoms have been made tax-free, sparking a major outrage. However, many countries have taken steps to make sure that tampon tax is not levied on menstrual products anymore.

Does India apply GST on menstrual products?

Many years ago, there was a massive outrage against the period tax in India. While products like incense sticks, sindoor, and pooja products were made tax-free, over 12 percent tax was still levied on menstrual products like sanitary pads and tampons.

However, the Indian government in 2018 decided to abolish the tampon tax and decided to revoke the 12 percent tax levied on sanitary pads in an effort to make them accessible to menstrual hygiene products accessible to all.

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