Aldi has urged other supermarkets to follow its lead in offering free period products in store toilets, after a survey revealed strong public support for the measure. The German retailer launched the initiative in March 2025 to tackle period poverty "head on" and has since provided one million free tampons and pads across its more than 1,080 stores.
Survey Shows Widespread Support
Research commissioned by Aldi and carried out by OnePoll in July 2026 among 2,000 UK shoppers found that 67% think supermarkets should provide free period products in customer toilets. As many as 75% said these products should be as readily available as toilet paper and soap, while 66% said supermarkets play an important role in supporting people who may struggle to access or afford them.
The survey also revealed that 67% would view a supermarket more positively if the service were available, and 62% would expect large supermarkets to offer it. Furthermore, 51% said they would be more likely to shop with a retailer that made period products freely available in-store.
Barriers and Availability
According to the findings, providing free products would help address various barriers: 69% said it would assist people who unexpectedly start their period while out, 58% said it would help those unable to afford products, and 48% said it would reduce embarrassment. When asked where products should be available, 56% selected supermarket customer toilets, ahead of shopping centres, transport hubs and leisure centres.
Among those who have or have ever had a period, 53% said they had been caught short without products while shopping or away from home, and 93% said they had used toilet roll, tissue or another alternative because they lacked a product.
Letters to CEOs and Charity Partnership
Aldi UK's chief commercial officer, Julie Ashfield, and Tina Leslie MBE, founder of Freedom4Girls, have jointly written to CEOs of major UK supermarkets, urging them to make free period products available where facilities allow. Ms Ashfield said: "Access to period products should be a basic right, not a privilege. That is why we made free period products available in our store toilets for customers and colleagues, with no questions asked."
Ms Leslie said: "Period poverty remains a huge issue in the UK, and we're encouraged to see Aldi continuing to use its platform to push for wider change. Providing free period products in supermarket toilets is a practical way to help people access what they need discreetly and with dignity."
Aldi has also donated one million period products to those experiencing period poverty through charity partners, and customers can donate products at in-store points, which are distributed to food banks via Neighbourly. Morrisons runs its own "Ask for Sandy" initiative, offering free discreet envelopes with sanitary products at customer service desks. Express.co.uk has contacted other major chains, including Tesco, Sainsbury's, ASDA, Lidl, Co-op, Waitrose, and M&S.
