Catalan pharmacies hand out free reusable period products
The Catalonia region in Spain has begun providing free reusable menstrual cups, period underwear and cloth pads at pharmacies, in one of the first initiatives of its kind in the world.
The programme is part of a drive by the regional government to reduce period poverty after a survey found 44% of women using menstruation products in Catalonia could not afford their first-choice product and 23% said they had to reuse items designed for single use.
The limited availability of products – often because of cost, a lack of washing facilities or education – can lead to girls and women skipping school or work and heightens the risk of infection and toxic shock syndrome.
Ester Miralles, 55, a civil servant, said if men menstruated the problem would have been addressed much earlier. “This affects all women – those who fortunately can still afford it and those who cannot,” she said.
Women can spend €2,500 on sanitary products in their lifetime but opting for reusable products will reduce that cost to about €145, authorities say.
The initiative began on Monday in the north-eastern region and will benefit about 2.5 million people, who will be able to find the products at more than 3,300 pharmacies.
The measure also aims to reduce the more than 9,000 tonnes of waste generated each year in Catalonia by used tampons and sanitary pads.
Helena Herranz, an 18-year-old student, said she was keen to give reusable products a try. “We use a lot of pads, a lot of tampons, a lot of material throughout our lives and they pollute a lot,” she added.
In 2020, Scotland became the first country to offer free sanitary products – but the Catalan government said this was the first time reusable menstrual products were given away for free.
In 2022, Spain passed a law stipulating that menstrual products should be distributed for free at schools, prisons, women’s healthcare facilities and other public institutions.