Scotland Becomes First Country in the World to Make Period Products Free

After a four-year campaign, Scotland has made history by introducing a new law that will make period products, such as tampons and sanitary pads, free for all. It is the first nation in the world to enact such a policy.

The bill – officially titled the “Period Products (Free Provision) (Scotland) Bill” – was voted through yesterday, and means that public buildings will have a legal duty to provide free period products. More widely, every local council in Scotland now has an obligation to ensure that these products are freely accessible to “anyone who needs them”.

Scottish Labour MSP Monica Lennon, who led the campaign, said before the vote yesterday: “Thanks to a bold grassroots campaign and cross-party support, Scotland has already taken great strides to improve access to period products.” She described the vote as "a world-leading opportunity to secure period dignity for all women, girls and people who menstruate. The campaign has been backed by a wide coalition, including trade unions, women's organisations and charities.”

The bill’s success is a welcome victory in the campaign against period poverty – an issue that has worsened significantly during the coronavirus pandemic. Research by charity Women’s International in 2018 suggested that one in five women in Scotland were experiencing period poverty.

The bill also enshrines in law the requirement for period products to be provided for free in Scottish schools, universities and colleges, a scheme that was introduced informally in 2018 after a study, conducted by Young Scot, found that one in four respondents in the education system had struggled to to access period products. Another study, undertaken by charity Plan International, found that 12 percent of respondents had had to improvise sanitary wear.

The new legislation should help to expand on this and make the provision universal, ensuring that no one who needs period products is unable to access them, regardless of whether they’re in the education system.

Elsewhere in the UK, free period products were rolled out in English primary and secondary schools earlier this year, while charities like Period Poverty UK and Bloody Good Period continue to campaign for wider access.