{"id":1139,"date":"2026-05-28T14:09:24","date_gmt":"2026-05-28T13:09:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pomegranatemag.co.uk\/?p=1139"},"modified":"2026-05-28T14:31:31","modified_gmt":"2026-05-28T13:31:31","slug":"the-cost-of-being-on-your-period","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pomegranatemag.co.uk\/?p=1139","title":{"rendered":"The Cost of Being on Your Period"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Somewhere between the invention of the menstrual cup and its reinvention as a TikTok personality trait, periods became a lifestyle. Open Instagram or scroll through any wellness corner of the internet and you will find them: colour-coded cycle tracking apps, \u00a318 magnesium supplements for cramps, leakproof underwear modelled on women doing yoga on cliffs, and influencers earnestly explaining how &#8220;cycle syncing&#8221; your workouts, meals, and social calendar will unlock a better version of yourself. The aesthetics are soft. The prices are not.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But the data behind periods tells a very different story to the one being sold. Pomegranate has looked at the numbers to find out exactly how wide that gap has become.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What people are actually using<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Despite everything the wellness industry would have you believe, the single most commonly used menstrual product in the world is still the humble disposable pad.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-wp-embed is-provider-flourish wp-block-embed-flourish\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe class=\"wp-embedded-content lazyload\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" title=\"Interactive or visual content\" data-src=\"https:\/\/flo.uri.sh\/visualisation\/29159345\/embed#?secret=FYmrp6fubF\" data-secret=\"FYmrp6fubF\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" height=\"575\" width=\"700\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" data-load-mode=\"1\"><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A 2024 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wecf.org\/mensy-survey-report-on-menstrual-product-usage-and-attitudes\/\" type=\"link\" id=\"https:\/\/www.wecf.org\/mensy-survey-report-on-menstrual-product-usage-and-attitudes\/\">MENSY Survey Report<\/a> on Menstrual Product Usage and Attitudes&nbsp;found that 69% of respondents used disposable pads, compared with 36% using tampons, 32% menstrual cups, 22% menstrual underwear and 17% reusable cloth pads.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The gap matters because social media can easily create the impression that reusable products have already become mainstream. In reality, many people still rely on the cheapest, most accessible option available in supermarkets and pharmacies, even if that option is less sustainable in the long term.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The cost of menstruation <\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Here is a number worth sitting with, according to the recent <a href=\"https:\/\/cdn.who.int\/media\/docs\/default-source\/bulletin\/online-first\/blt.24.291421.pdf?utm_source=)\" type=\"link\" id=\"https:\/\/cdn.who.int\/media\/docs\/default-source\/bulletin\/online-first\/blt.24.291421.pdf?utm_source=)\">research<\/a>, the average menstruating person uses approximately&nbsp;10,000 to 11,000 menstrual products during their lifetime. In 2025, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.canada.ca\/en\/women-gender-equality\/funding\/equality-action\/menstrual-equity.html\" type=\"link\" id=\"https:\/\/www.canada.ca\/en\/women-gender-equality\/funding\/equality-action\/menstrual-equity.html\">Canada\u2019s government <\/a>estimated that someone who menstruates may spend up to&nbsp;CAN $6,000 (around \u00a34,480) on period products alone&nbsp;over their lifetime. That figure excludes pain relief, specialist hygiene products, and the additional laundry that comes with leaks, which anyone who has ever owned white sheets will know is not a trivial consideration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And individual product prices add up quickly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-wp-embed is-provider-flourish wp-block-embed-flourish\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe class=\"wp-embedded-content lazyload\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" title=\"Interactive or visual content\" data-src=\"https:\/\/flo.uri.sh\/visualisation\/29159280\/embed#?secret=dusWMgucDd\" data-secret=\"dusWMgucDd\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" height=\"575\" width=\"700\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" data-load-mode=\"1\"><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/jogh-ep.org\/article\/137889-period-poverty-in-the-united-states-of-america-a-socio-economic-policy-analysis\" type=\"link\" id=\"https:\/\/jogh-ep.org\/article\/137889-period-poverty-in-the-united-states-of-america-a-socio-economic-policy-analysis\">Recent 2025 research into menstrual poverty in United States of America<\/a> found that a box of tampons averaged&nbsp;$7.21, sanitary pads averaged&nbsp;$6.45 per pack, menstrual cups typically cost between&nbsp;$20 and $40, and reusable period underwear could cost up to&nbsp;$75 per pair. In the UK, price points are broadly comparable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In many countries, those costs are inflated further by the tampon tax: VAT applied to menstrual products on the basis that they are, in the eyes of the tax code, non-essential luxury items. The UK abolished its tampon tax in 2021 after a campaign that ran for the better part of two decade. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The reusable products are, in strict financial terms, often the smarter long-term investment. Period underwear, once you have enough pairs to rotate through a cycle without constant washing, can significantly reduce monthly outgoings. A \u00a330 menstrual cup may well save money over ten years, but that calculation is essentially meaningless to someone who currently has \u00a33 left in their account and a period starting tomorrow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The industry that grew around it<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While individuals navigate these trade-offs, the industry around them is expanding at considerable speed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The global menstrual cup market alone, still a relatively niche product just fifteen years ago, is projected to surpass $913 million in value by 2034, acording to recent <a href=\"https:\/\/www.precedenceresearch.com\/menstrual-cup-market?utm_source\" type=\"link\" id=\"https:\/\/www.precedenceresearch.com\/menstrual-cup-market?utm_source\">research on Menstrual Cup Market Size, Share and Trends 2025 to 2034<\/a>. The period underwear market, which barely existed as a category before 2015, is forecast to exceed $2 billion. Organic menstrual care, which encompasses everything from unbleached cotton tampons to biodegradable pads, is one of the fastest-growing sectors in the broader feminine hygiene market, driven largely by consumer anxiety about synthetic materials and pesticide residues in conventional products.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Some policy responses have chosen to take a different approach. Scotland became the first country in the world to legislate for universal free access to period products in 2022, passing the Period Products Act which requires schools, universities, and public buildings to make menstrual products available at no cost to anyone who needs them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The scale of a problem<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Because for all the market projections and wellness rebrands, period poverty remains a stubborn and widespread reality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.unwomen.org\/en\/articles\/explainer\/period-poverty-why-millions-of-girls-and-women-cannot-afford-their-periods\" type=\"link\" id=\"https:\/\/www.unwomen.org\/en\/articles\/explainer\/period-poverty-why-millions-of-girls-and-women-cannot-afford-their-periods\">UN Women\u2019s 2025<\/a> data found that one in four teenagers in the United States struggle to afford period products. One in three adults report difficulty consistently accessing menstrual care. More than 500 million women and girls globally lack access to adequate menstrual hygiene facilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-wp-embed is-provider-flourish wp-block-embed-flourish\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe class=\"wp-embedded-content lazyload\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" title=\"Interactive or visual content\" data-src=\"https:\/\/flo.uri.sh\/visualisation\/29159483\/embed#?secret=3N9c5aka8s\" data-secret=\"3N9c5aka8s\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" height=\"575\" width=\"700\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" data-load-mode=\"1\"><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Five hundred million is not a niche problem or a contained humanitarian crisis in a small number of low-income countries. It is roughly the entire population of the European Union &#8211; every person in France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Poland, and twenty-four other nations without safe, private, and reliable access to menstrual hygiene.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Inadequate menstrual hygiene facilities are not simply a matter of not having a preferred brand available. They encompass lack of clean toilets, running water, private spaces to change, safe disposal systems, and access to any products at all. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Even in wealthier countries, the numbers are not comfortable.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.actionaid.org.uk\/blog\/2025\/05\/28\/cost-period-poverty-risen\" type=\"link\" id=\"https:\/\/www.actionaid.org.uk\/blog\/2025\/05\/28\/cost-period-poverty-risen\">UK research by ActionAid<\/a> published in 2025, found that 21% of women and people who menstruate struggled to afford period products. This figure rose to 27% among 18 to 24-year-olds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When people cannot afford proper products, the alternatives are dire. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-wp-embed is-provider-flourish wp-block-embed-flourish\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe class=\"wp-embedded-content lazyload\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" title=\"Interactive or visual content\" data-src=\"https:\/\/flo.uri.sh\/visualisation\/29161445\/embed#?secret=7XtNbPEVZp\" data-secret=\"7XtNbPEVZp\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" height=\"575\" width=\"700\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" data-load-mode=\"1\"><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Of those affected, 41% kept pads or tampons in for longer than medically recommended, increasing infection risk. 37% used tissues or cotton wool as substitutes. 13% used socks or other clothing. 9% resorted to newspaper or paper. 8% reused disposable pads &#8211; something clinicians actively advise against.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-wp-embed is-provider-flourish wp-block-embed-flourish\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe class=\"wp-embedded-content lazyload\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" title=\"Interactive or visual content\" data-src=\"https:\/\/flo.uri.sh\/visualisation\/29161603\/embed#?secret=4jF1B5beq7\" data-secret=\"4jF1B5beq7\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" height=\"575\" width=\"700\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" data-load-mode=\"1\"><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Among those affected by period poverty, 60% said they had to prioritise food over period products, 48% prioritised gas or electricity, and 24% went without period products themselves so they could afford them for a dependent in their household.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While period care is increasingly sold as empowerment, for many people it remains a question of affordability, compromise and survival.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Somewhere between the invention of the menstrual cup and its reinvention as a TikTok personality trait, periods became a lifestyle. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":268,"featured_media":1223,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[20,154],"tags":[189,190,33,188,83],"class_list":["post-1139","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-body","category-body-new-stories","tag-awareness","tag-hygiene","tag-love","tag-menstruation","tag-periods"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.4 - 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