Young Voters Are More Concerned About the Tampon Shortage
By Bella Kumar
The feminine hygiene aisles of pharmacies across the country have been looking sparse due to the national tampon shortage. This shortage stems from factory staffing shortages, transportation bottlenecks, and the rising costs of materials. The average price of tampons rose by nearly 10 percent in the first five months of 2022 because of these issues. Women are feeling the brunt of supply chain problems, with parents struggling to feed their babies during the baby formula shortage as well.
New polling by Data for Progress finds that only 38 percent of all likely voters express concern about the national tampon shortage. This includes 42 percent of Democrats, 40 percent of Independents, and 31 percent of Republicans. However, 63 percent of voters ages 18 to 29 and 47 percent of voters 30 to 39 find the shortage concerning. The level of concern drops and plateaus among older age groups.
In many states, feminine hygiene products are classified as nonessential items and subject to sales tax. Across partisanship, a majority (72 percent) of voters believe this tax is unfair, including 45 percent stating it is “very unfair.” Seventy-two percent of voters 18 to 29 also believe it is unfair, with 62 percent calling it “very unfair.”
Tampons are also subject to the “pink tax” — the practice of making products targeted toward women more expensive than products targeted toward men. Women not only face higher-priced products than men, but they also receive lower pay on average than men. The U.S. Census reports women make 83 cents for every dollar men make. When given this information and asked if they would support ending the “pink tax” and forcing retailers to end gender-based discrimination in product pricing, voters say yes by a +61-point margin. This includes Democrats by a +70-point margin, Independents by a +59-point margin, and Republicans by a +55-point margin.
The tampon shortage is a young people’s issue. Menstruators are under attack right now, struggling to retain basic rights to reproductive freedom, hygiene products, and formula for their children, and young people are paying attention.
Note: While this blog and survey uses largely gendered language to refer to people who menstruate or use tampons, we acknowledge that not all menstruators are women or identify with the term “woman.” We recognize and appreciate every person that menstruates, regardless of their gender identity.
Bella Kumar (@bellakkumar) is a communications intern at Data for Progress.