Eight Brands Fight Back Against ‘Luxury Tax’ on Menstrual Products

Eight feminine care brands in the menstrual hygiene space have converged to create The Tampon Tax Back Coalition, aiming to abolish the taxation on menstruation products that still exists in 21 U.S. states.

As part of this joint venture, August, Cora, DIVA, LOLA, The Honey Pot, Rael, Here We Flo, and Saalt are all reimbursing consumers the amount of the tampon tax, whether they purchase products from these brands online or in third-party retail stores like Target and Walmart. Shoppers can visit www.tampontaxback.com to submit their receipts and get reimbursed within 10 days of purchase, with refunds delivered via Venmo within two business days.

In May 2023, sustainable period care brand August launched the #TamponTaxBack initiative to reimburse individuals for any tax paid on purchases of August tampons and pads. Following the success of the initiative, August onboarded the coalition of seven partners to work toward eliminating the sales tax on menstrual hygiene products such as tampons, pads and menstrual cups. The controversy arises from the classification that menstrual products are “luxury” or “non-essential” items in some tax codes, resulting in them being subject to sales tax.

“With this coalition, we are fostering a new ethos where industry competitors are becoming unlikely allies, joining forces not for profit, but for equality,” said Nadya Okamoto, Co-founder of August in a statement. “I’ve fought to end this unjust tax for more than a decade — back when it was still active in 40 states. By locking arms with our period care competitors, this coalition is a powerful next step to hopefully abolish the tampon tax across the country and provide educational resources for menstruators.”