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This High Street Retailer Just Made It Easier To Have A Plastic-Free Period

Photographed by Ruby Woodhouse
Superdrug just made it easier to have a plastic-free period by removing plastic tampon applicators from its own-brand products.
The high street beauty retailer follows in the footsteps of Sainsbury's and Aldi in ditching plastic tampon applicators from its own-brand products.
It's an eco-conscious move which could have more of an impact than you might expect. According to the European Commission, sanitary products are the fifth most common plastic item found on Europe's beaches – even ahead of plastic bags.
During one British beach clean-up in 2016, the Marine Conservation Society found 20 tampons and sanitary items per 100 metres of shoreline. 
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It's also been estimated that more than 200,000 tonnes of wast in the form of tampons, pads, panty-liners and their packaging ends up in UK landfill sites each year.
Superdrug's move has been welcomed by Cardiff-based activist Ella Daish, founder of the #EndPeriodPlastic campaign, who said: "It is crucial that retailers make changes like this to stop unnecessary plastic at source.
"I’m thrilled Superdrug have taken these progressive steps and hope to see other manufacturers move forward in this way."
View this post on Instagram

BREAKING NEWS! 📣 I can’t tell you how excited I am about announcing this news today, my head has literally been bubbling over! @superdrug have ditched plastic tampon applicators and launched their own eco-friendly period range! Superdrug’s decision to remove plastic tampon applicators will save 418kg of plastic annually and will directly put a stop to unnecessary plastic at source. The launch of their new Luna range will make eco-friendly options more visible and accessible to people across the country. Superdrug’s Head of Own Brand, Quality and Technical, Sarah Jenkins, says: At Superdrug, we are proud to champion sustainable initiatives and continue to make responsible choices. Ella’s tireless campaign to help end period plastic is inspirational, and we have been working with her over the past year to help bring about this change at Superdrug. It is fantastic that Superdrug has listened to the campaign and responded by taking these important steps to not only remove plastic from their conventional products, but also to develop an eco-range! I’m thrilled that they have taken these progressive steps & hope to see other manufacturers move forward in this way! Thank YOU for your constant support💚, for being part of this campaign, for raising your voices and coming together to take action! 🔥 You are having an impact, people power works, change is happening!! #EndPeriodPlastic

A post shared by ELLA DAISH (@elladaish) on

Superdrug's Sarah Jenkins added: "Ella’s tireless campaign to help end period plastic is inspirational, and we have been working with her over the past year to help bring about this change at Superdrug."
Meanwhile, period poverty has once again become an especially pressing issue during the coronavirus pandemic. With most schools and youth centres closed during lockdown, many young women and girls have been unable to access the free sanitary products they're entitled to.
Consequently, a new report has found that three in 10 young women and girls across the UK are struggling to access sanitary towels, tampons and other period products and over half (54%) have been forced to use toilet paper instead. 
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