With support from MPs, peers, businesses, and charities, Marks & Spencer and period pants brand Wuka secured more than 12,000 signatures within 24 hours on a petition that calls on the UK’s government to level the playing field on period products by making period pants exempt from VAT (value added tax).

Since launching Say Pants to the Tax on Thursday (August 10^th), a public letter to Victoria Atkins, the financial secretary to the UK’s Treasury, has the backing of 58 signatories, including MPs and peers of all parties and charities Wellbeing of Women and Bloody Good Period, as well as public backing for the campaign from A Plastic Planet, Action Aid UK and Paula Sherriff, the former shadow women and equalities minister who led the original ‘Tampon Tax’ campaign. 

“Together with our friends at Wuka and all our co-signatories, a big thank you to everyone who has supported the campaign getting us over the10,000 signatures mark in just 24 hours,” said Victoria McKenzie-Gould, corporate affairs director at M&S. “The government did a great job in 2021 in removing VAT from single use period products and we’re confident that they will now finish the job and include reusable period pants. Of course, the campaign doesn’t end here and our next goal is 100,000 signatures – so our ask today is for everyone to add their voice to the overwhelming support we’ve already seen.”

Find out more about the campaign and where to sign the petition here.

www.marksandspencer.com