A Lifetime of Bleeding: How much do women spend on period products?
We calculated the cost of having a period at approximately $7,500, spent on organic pads, tampons and pantyliners, over a lifetime of menstruating — not adjusted for price inflation throughout the 30 to 40 years a woman will spend menstruating; estimates from other sources range from $5,600 to $18,000. We estimate the average person who menstruates in Missouri spends approximately $16 per month on period products, or $200 per year.
Twenty-three percent of menstruating teenagers — nearly one in four — struggled to afford period products in 2023, according to Statista, and 40% of menstruating teenagers wore period products longer than recommended. The issue affects college-aged people who menstruate, too: 18.7% — nearly one in five — menstruating college students have faced period poverty in 2023, which means they felt forced to choose between buying period products or meeting other costs such as paying bills or buying food.
In Missouri, period products come at a higher cost: Missouri charges a 04.225% luxury sales tax on period products and diapers, considering them “personal property.” In comparison, groceries are taxed at 1.225%, and many other health care-related products are not taxed at all, according to St. Louis Public Radio.
In this year’s legislative session, nine bills “aimed to reduce or eliminate the taxes on diapers and period products;” although they were supported by both Democrats and Republicans, none of them made it past the committee. The state gains $6 million each year from this tax, which is one reason why the bills have been struck down, according to KY3, an Ozarks news station in Missouri and Arkansas. Twenty-four states do not charge tax on period products, and five states don’t charge sales tax on any item.
What can we do about it?
1. Donate period products to local food pantries, schools and women’s resource centers
Find more details about how to give at each of the following websites:
- The Southeast Missouri Food Bank, semofoodbank.org/donate-food/
- Redhawk Food Pantry, semo.edu/student-support/health-wellness/pantry/contribute.html
- Safe House of Southeast Missouri, semosafehouse.org/how-you-can-help/wish-list/
2. Apply for period product reimbursement for your school
Although Missouri does not yet require schools to provide period products to students, we are one of seven states that offers funding for period products to charter and public schools: The 2023 Missouri General Assembly appropriated $1 million for the 2023-24 school year to provide period products through the Feminine Hygiene Products Grant Program for Missouri students enrolled in grades 6 through 12, and more details about the budget for the 2024-2025 school year are forthcoming after the school year begins.
Send your questions about how to receive funding to Mallory McGowin, Missouri Department of Elementary and SEcondary Education chief communications officer, at Communications@dese.mo.gov. For more information about how to submit a budget proposal and reimbursement form for your school, visit dese.mo.gov/2023-24-feminine-hygiene-products-grant-program.
3. Send period product tax refund requests to Jefferson City
Find the form to sign and mail to the Missouri Taxation Division after each period product purchase at periodlaw.org/tampon-tax-refund-activation/.
4. Contact our legislators and governor
Find out more information about how to advocate and lobby for an end to period product tax at allianceforperiodsupplies.org/policy-legislation/; you can look up who your legislators are at senate.mo.gov/LegisLookup/Default, and contact Governor Michael L. Parson’s office at governor.mo.gov/contact-us/mo-governor. If you’re a student and want to create change at your school, download the Alliance for Period Supplies’ Student Advocacy Toolkit at allianceforperiodsupplies.org/policy-legislation/.
5. Talk About Periods
If you’re an educator, find curriculum and lesson plans about periods in prison, planet-positive periods, athletes and periods, and a glossary for the Global Menstrual Movement at the youth-founded initiative period.org/education. If you’re a young person, submit your artwork and writing about menstruating to The Rag, PERIOD’s publication about menstruation equity.
Get reimbursed for period product sales tax
The Tampon Tax Back Coalition, an initiative by period product brands August, Cora, DIVA, Here We Flo, The Honey Pot, LOLA, Saalt and Rael, want to reimburse you for the state sales tax paid on their products. To get reimbursed, go to tampontaxback.com, and sign up with your phone number. Then, send a picture of your receipt from buying a period product by one of these eight brands within 10 days of purchasing the product. The project will Venmo or PayPal you a reimbursement for the sales tax within 48 hours.
