Monthly affair, shared responsibility: by shopping at Tesco we can help those who cannot afford menstrual products

By: Trademagazin Date: 2025. 05. 30. 11:04

On May 28, World Menstrual Hygiene Day, Tesco drew attention to the fact that menstruation is one of the most natural processes in the world, yet for many girls and women, the hygiene products required for it are considered a luxury item. According to the company’s research, women spend an average of 4,200 forints per month on intimate hygiene products, which amounts to nearly 1.9 million forints over their lifetime. The department store chain has been actively working to reduce menstrual poverty for years, and in its latest campaign launched together with its supplier partners, it will donate 30 forints from the price of every feminine hygiene product purchased at Tesco between June 5 and 18 to charity for the benefit of those in need who cannot afford them.

Women typically have their first period around the age of 12-13, and their last period around the age of 50. They need intimate hygiene products for approximately 450 months in between. However, these essential items cost around 1.9 million forints over their lifetime*.

In many cases, menstrual poverty begins in childhood. According to research conducted by Procter & Gamble in 2018**, 23 percent of girls aged 18-24 have missed school during their period because they could not obtain adequate hygiene products, or have a friend who has missed out because of it. This not only means that the young people concerned fall behind in their studies, but their social relationships are often damaged, their self-confidence decreases, or they become isolated.

The problem does not disappear in adulthood either. A survey conducted by Tesco in August 2024* shows that 40 percent of women have already saved on other expenses in order to buy tampons or pads. Nearly 50 percent of those surveyed said that they were unable to buy enough intimate products or of the right quality. Furthermore, 62 percent of respondents experienced that they could not change tampons or pads as often as they would ideally at work. According to 93 percent of those surveyed, women should be supported to purchase these products.

A package of opportunity

Tesco and its delivery partners will donate 30 forints from the price of every feminine hygiene product purchased at Tesco between 5 and 18 June 2025 to the Hungarian Ecumenical Relief Organization. The organization will use the proceeds to put together intimate hygiene packages for disadvantaged girls and women and organize educational programs so that menstruation does not become an obstacle to learning, social life or employment. The campaign’s featured partner is Procter & Gamble, the manufacturer of the Always, Naturella, Tampax and Discreet brands.

“Tesco believes that supporting women cannot be an occasional gesture. For us, taking action against menstrual poverty is not a campaign, but a mission. That is why we also provide our own employees with access to intimate hygiene products, that is why we reduced the price of our own-brand products by the value of VAT, and that is why we created the “Menstruation is not a luxury” gap-filling collaboration platform on March 7, 2025, to which we continue to welcome new members. Now, together with our customers, we are also helping those for whom every month is a challenge. We are pleased that our delivery partners known for the most popular brands have also joined this, so that we can act even more effectively for the cause with the power of the community,”

said Nóra Hevesi, Head of Communications at Tesco-Global Zrt.