ALMOST one in five West Midlands women and girls feel embarrassed buying period products in store, according to a new survey.
The research, which was commissioned by Aldi on 1,000 women aged over 12 who have or ever had a period, also revealed half of those who felt embarrassed half of those that feel embarrassed having deliberately used self-checkouts to avoid being seen, while another 50 per cent have asked someone else to buy products for them.
The cost of products has also impacted – 28 per cent of high-school aged girls have struggled to afford or have access to period products.
And across all age groups, half said they have resorted to unsafe alternatives such as toilet roll or tissue, while 20 have worn products for longer than recommended.
And 20 per cent have missed work or school activities as a result.
The findings, from research commissioned by Aldi ahead of Period Poverty Awareness Week (May 11 to 17), reveal how stigma and cost are preventing those in West Midlands from accessing the products they need.
Over the past year, Aldi has provided 1.4million free period products, with customers and colleagues able to take what they need, when they need it – no code word or loyalty scheme needed.
Launched last March, the initiative was introduced to help ensure that essential items such as tampons and pads are accessible to everyone who needs them.
Julie Ashfield, chief commercial Officer at Aldi UK, said: “We believe that access to period products is a basic right, not a privilege and we know that period poverty is still a very real issue for many across the UK. That’s why we took the step to make free period products available in all our store toilets – for both our customers and colleagues.
“This latest research really highlights the ongoing issues of stigma and affordability, and that’s why one year on, we continue to play our part in helping remove the barriers that some face when accessing period products.”
The move to provide free period products in customer and colleague toilets forms part of Aldi’s wider commitment to supporting communities and ensuring access to everyday essentials.
Aldi has also donated one million period products to those experiencing period poverty through its partnership with charities such as Freedom4Girls.
Tina Leslie, founder of Freedom4Girls, a menstrual equity charity dedicated to tackling period poverty, said: “Period poverty remains a huge issue in the UK and we’re encouraged to see Aldi’s continued commitment to tackling it. This research demonstrates what we see every day in the communities we support – stigma and cost create real barriers that affect work, school, and health. We’re calling on other retailers to follow Aldi’s lead and help remove these obstacles.”
