Tesco shoppers praise nationwide ‘white envelope’ scheme offering free sanitary products to end period poverty

Tesco has been praised by customers for its “amazingly well kept secret” scheme which aims to tackle period poverty.

The “white envelope scheme” by Tesco aims to take away the stigma of teenage girls being embarrassed to ask for help when they can’t afford to buy sanitary products.

The scheme advises those who need help to go to the customer service desk and ask for a white envelope, where they will then be given sanitary products free of charge.

Rumours began circulating online about the scheme after signs were placed in stores, prompting shoppers to question whether it was only for individual stores or nationwide.

One Twitter user, Niall Love, asked Tesco for confirmation, writing: "Is this true about asking for a ‘white envelope’ for Sanitary products?"

Tesco responded: "Hi Naill, thanks for getting in touch. To answer your question, yes this is correct, all a customer needs to do is to ask at our customer services and there will be no questions asked.

"It’s in an effort to tackle period poverty as they are given free of charge. TY - Ian."

Niall shared the good news with the Extreme Couponing and Bargains UK Group Facebook group where many did not know about the scheme.

One Facebook user commented: "Well done Tesco" and another said it was "bloody brilliant".

Tracelette Brown tweeted: "What an amazingly well kept secret!!! Not one female I’ve asked knew this, shame that really......"

Tesco has been offering its "white envelope" scheme for a few years now.

Twitter user @superdeadnicole posted about the scheme in 2021, sharing an image of a sign about the scheme from their local Tesco in Catterick Garrison, North Yorkshire.

The tweet said: "I saw this is my local @Tesco I didn’t realise they did this. Definitely a step in the right direction! #periodpoverty #tesco #periods."

Tesco says the scheme has been put in place in every single Tesco store in the UK.

Around one in eight women in the UK struggle with period poverty and that figure is expected to be even higher now due to the cost of living crisis, according to a 2022 Action Aid survey,

Some social media users highlighted that other supermarkets were offering very similar schemes with Morrisons launching its "Package for Sandy" in 2021.

The scheme gives two single sanitary towels in a brown paper bag to those who ask the Morrisons’ customer service desk for a "package for Sandy". It began in Bolton but was later rolled out nationwide.