A coalition of period care brands, including August, Cora, LOLA, The Honey Pot, Rael, Here We Flo, Saalt, and DIVA, has come together to form the "Tampon Tax Back Coalition" to reimburse consumers for state sales tax on menstrual products.
The coalition's primary objective is to eliminate the "tampon tax," a term used to describe the state sales tax imposed on menstrual hygiene products in more than a dozen U.S. states.
Many states exempt essential products such as food and medications from sales tax but leave out period care products, categorizing them as nonessential goods.
The annual cost of these taxes to consumers totals approximately $80 million, highlighting the financial burden imposed by the "tampon tax."
Period equity, the concept that everyone who menstruates should have access to safe and affordable menstrual products, is at the heart of the coalition's mission.
The coalition aims to raise awareness about the 'tampon tax' issue and change public opinion to put pressure on legislators for reform.
Consumers can visit the coalition's website to initiate a claim for reimbursement for eligible items and receive refunds via Venmo or PayPal within 24 hours of submission.
By uniting their efforts, the coalition of period care brands is advocating for the recognition of period care items as basic necessities, similar to food and medicine.
The CEO of Rael, Yanghee Paik, sees the coalition as a crucial step toward recognizing period care products as essential for basic medical needs.
Beatrice Dixon, CEO at The Honey Pot, describes her decision to join the coalition as a "no-brainer" and emphasizes the need to eliminate the 'tampon tax' for consumers.