Stellar Snippets
Women's health activists have been advocating to make menstrual care and hygiene products sales tax-free for years, as consumers in 21 states still pay them.
Some menstrual product makers have come together to form "The Tampon Tax Back Coalition."
Brands August, Cora, Lola, The Honey Pot, Rael, Here We Flo, Saalt, and DIVA are part of the coalition.
If you are one of their customers, just submit an image of your online/in-store purchase receipt to www.tampontaxback.com to get reimbursed.
Co-founder of August, Nadya Okamoto who initiated the coalition, assured that consumers will be paid back through Venmo or Paypal within 24 hours.
19 states have removed the sales tax, Texas being the latest. But 21 states still have it, and public awareness continues to be low.
Period products have been considered as non-essential and therefore charged with sales tax. But these products fall under medical necessities, argues Okamoto.
Whenever possible, August absorbed customer sales tax, but this is illegal in seven states. So the reimbursement is a clever workaround to this.
But, as menstrual products are exempted from sales taxes to help consumers, other product taxes may increase to make up for the difference.