UK retailers not passing on tampon tax savings to women, report says

When the government cut the tax, it was up to retailers to pass the savings on to customers. Photograph: zoranm/Getty Images

Women were shortchanged by the abolition of the “tampon tax” in 2021 as the saving was not passed on in full by retailers in the form of lower prices, according to a report.

Rishi Sunak scrapped the 5% VAT rate on tampons when he was chancellor, and the change took effect from 1 January 2021.