As the rain pours down over Harpurhey a woman hurries along with a shopping bag in each hand. The precinct is bustling for a Thursday morning as people flock to stock up on essentials.
With the rising cost of living, the likes of B&M, Wilko and Poundland are packed with families and are seen as a lifeline for many local people struggling to make ends meet. And for many women, there's an extra cost which is adding to the burden.
Heartbreaking research recently revealed that 24 per cent of women who menstruate in the UK said they or their family have struggled to afford period products in the last year.
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The charity WaterAid surveyed 2,000 British women and non-binary people and found that one in four are wearing period products for longer than they should, risking their health. Researchers found one in five are coping by using makeshift materials such as toilet paper or sponges.
One woman admitted: "I'm using the cheapest toilet roll I can find to use for periods. It's not hygienic or recommended, but it's all I can afford."
It comes as stores in Greater Manchester such as Home Bargains, Wilko and Savers were pictured with CCTV signs next to sanitary products - warning shoppers would be prosecuted for shoplifting.
On the streets of Harpurhey, many women said they had been affected by the cost of living, with some saying their only option for period products was to buy own-brand, or rely on the local Poundland.
"I think we are lucky around here because we have a range of shops," said one woman in her late twenties. "I'll just go to Poundland for stuff like that but there are some women who can't buy the cheap stuff because they get a reaction and then it does become quite expensive. if I was having to buy anything other than own brand I think I'd find that difficult."
Another young women said her sister, who works in the NHS, has been forced to take period products from work as she is struggling to afford them on top of her normal shopping. "I'm lucky as I have the implant so I don't bleed much now but before there were days when I would need to change a sanitary towel every hour or so and if you're on your period for a week that's a lot of money," she said.
"My sister works for the NHS and has to get some from work because she's really struggling at the moment. With the cost of living at the moment they need to lower the price or there at least needs to be an option for women to go to their doctor and admit they need help to buy them. There's a lot of women out there who just won't be able to afford it."
A separate survey by Plan International UK found that some girls and young women are currently left with no choice but to use toilet paper, socks, newspaper and other fabric because they can't afford sanitary products.
The May poll found that half of girls who struggled to afford period products since the start of 2022 had to cut back on food and groceries to be able to buy them – almost double compared with last year. More than a quarter are worried about how they will afford sanitary products over the coming months amid the ongoing cost-of-living crisis.
One mum, who was shopping in Harpurhey with her young child, called for period products to be made free for children up to the age of 18. "That £6 or £7 a month adds up over the year and could definitely be better spent on other things considering how expensive it is now," she said.
Another woman out doing her weekly shop said: "I'm premenopausal but when I was having to buy period products I would usually have to buy two different types which would cost me around £7 or £8. It's a lot of money for women who may have children to feed. You could possibly look to buy cheaper branded stuff but that's not always very good quality or good for your health."
While steps have been taken to tackle period poverty in the UK, most notably with the abolition of the tampon tax in January 2021, and provision of free period products in schools and hospitals, 83 per cent of surveyed women said more needs to be done.
Chief executive of Plan International, Rose Caldwell said: "It is devastating that so many girls and young people in the UK are unable to afford the period products they need, and that shockingly high numbers of them are forced to rely on toilet paper as a substitute.
"Of even more concern, half of girls who struggle to afford period products report cutting back on food to be able to buy them, almost doubling compared to last year.
"As we look to an uncertain future, many more families will face tough financial choices, and more young women than ever are likely to face issues affording the products they need. Period products are a necessity, not a luxury, and they need to be treated as such."
A Government spokesman said: "The Government has taken a number of steps to ensure that sanitary products are available and affordable for all who need them, including scrapping VAT, and rolling out free period products to colleges, schools and hospitals."
A Home Bargains spokesperson said: "We have not seen any significant theft of sanitary products, from any of our stores nationwide. Our yellow shelf signs alerting shoppers to CCTV are distributed at random throughout all stores. We have not, and have no plans to strategically place these signs near to sanitary products.
"As a retailer we remain committed to keeping our prices low, as we know this is important to our loyal customers"
Wilko and Savers have been approached for comment.
