I’ve been menstruating for about 30 years now, and I figure I’ve still got a few more years to go. When I think about the number of pads and pain relievers I’ve purchased during my lifetime, let’s just say I’m seeing dollar signs. Especially after reading a new report from Healthnews that looks at the financial burden of menstruation around the world. I wanted to share a bit about the findings here.
Goal and overview of the global report
The Healthnews team released their report just ahead of International Women’s Day as women are the main consumers of menstrual hygiene products. Of course, other gender identities than women have periods. As menstrual pads are the leading type of product, the report focuses on this type. The aim of the research is to compare the cost of pads around the world.
In total, 30 countries were compared. Price data came from local pharmacies, drugstores, and supermarkets. All prices were converted into US dollars.
The lifetime cost of menstruation was calculated by multiplying the cost of a single pad by 11,400 — That is the average number of times a person uses pads during their lifetime! Wow, right?! That’s a lot of pads we’re sticking to our underwear, with or without wings.
What did Healthnews find?
The results include some things that I already figured, but others were surprising to me. I was not shocked to find that the US and Canada have some of the highest pad prices in the world. The US was second on the list of 30 countries that had it’s data collected ($0.150 per cheapest pad). The lifetime cost was $1,710 USD.
For Canada, at number 5 on the list, it is a lifetime cost of $1,425 USD to have a period. That’s $0.125 per pad (at the lowest price found).
Some countries’ pricing is not what I expected. For example, I thought the UK would be in the top 5. But it is much further down at number 26 out of 30. The lifetime cost is $718 USD, with $0.063 being the cheapest pad. That’s half of what I pay in Canada!
The top 5, ranked from the most expensive to the least, are: #1 United Arab Emirates ($0.234 USD per pad); #2 US ($0.150); #3 Australia ($0.137); #4 Sweden ($0.132); #5 Canada ($0.125).
Can you guess which country is the least expensive of the ones researched? At #30 is Finland, at $0.043 USD ($490 per lifetime). Maybe this cheap price is one of the reasons Finland was found to be the happiest country in the 2024 World Happiness Report! My friend Resa told me about this separate report and what a coincidence — or not — to also see it in the most affordable slot for menstrual pads on the Healthnews report. These two reports are not associated and no link has been drawn between them. That’s just me pointing out recent readings.
Affordability (or not) of menstruation
Not everyone can afford to buy pads. Period poverty is a reality, affecting about 500 million people in the world. Yes, it affects those in first-world countries too, such as Canada, although some people assume that it’s only an issue in developing countries.
Having a period is a sign of good health and, yet, not everyone can afford the menstrual products for it. How awful is that? When did period products become a luxury?
Imagine having to choose between menstrual products and food? Or not going to school or work because of discomfort, leakage, and odour due to not having a fresh pad to use? Or not having a workplace with a toilet? Being homeless without anything clean to use in place of a pad? My heart breaks thinking about these scenarios and the devastating effects on self-esteem.
Period poverty also includes the lack of access to education about menstruation, hygeine facilities, and waste management. I wish there was equal access to all of these things! It ought to be a basic right.
Unfortunately, a lot of people are uncomfortable talking about periods and that lack of discussion can keep things from advancing. I write more about the period taboo here.
I will never take it for granted again that I can afford a clean pad, instead of a rag or something else. Or that I have the money to buy Advil and a heatable bag to put on my tummy to help ease my menstrual cramps.
Beginning conversations
While I am disheartened that pad prices are more than what some people can afford, I’m glad that the global report was published so that it could begin conversations like the one we’re having here today. More education can lead to businesses providing increased access to products and hygeine facilities, for example. It can also open up other opportunities for charities and others to support communities where period poverty is high.
Governments can lower or eliminate taxes on menstrual hygiene products around the world, too, so they’re less costly. Inflation is making everything expensive, including pads and tampons. In rural areas, the prices can be even higher. And what about making it so that health insurance covers the products?
Some public schools, colleges, universities, and workplaces are providing free menstrual products. Some of these initiatives are funded through local government programs. But it’s definitely not happening everywhere. And how about schools provide info to all students about mensturation, no matter their sex or gender identity? Everyone ought to know more about this topic to help reduce the stigma and work toward period equity.
What are your thoughts on the findings of the global report on the cost of menstruation? How do you think period poverty can be addressed at a global level? Feel free to share your thoughts below!
To check out where other countries place, as well as the rest of the findings, be sure to read the entire Healthnews report.
Top photo by Polina Zimmerman from Pexels (Canva Free Content License).
I’m not surprised.
Corporations will gouge anything, anywhere, any time.
The most basic of human needs are highly commercialized.
The oil companies alone have enough $$$ profits to supply all the poor women of the world.
What a gesture of good will would that be?! Goodwill used to part of a successful business. Now, not.
Only money counts.
OH Resa, you’ve had a great idea there for oil companies to donate profits to women below the poverty line. If only! Sometimes I see articles about rich people with multiple homes and so many cars, and I’m like well that could pay for countless meals for the homeless, among helping so many others in multiple ways. There are some who have excess money and several with not enough of it to meet their basic needs… A cruel reality…
Thanks for this interesting post, Christy. Period poverty is very real in Africa. In fact, one of my firm’s outreach programmes is to purchase pads for school girls in poor areas.
Thank you to your firm for this outreach program, Robbie! Period poverty breaks my heart.