CVS is Subsidizing the ‘Pink Tax’ on Menstrual Products

CVS has lowered prices by 25% nationwide on all CVS Health and Live Better menstrual products, effective October 13, 2022. The price drop includes tampons, pads, panty liners, and cups. Pregnancy tests, urinary tract infection medication and vaginal ointments are also offered at a reduced price.

Note that CVS’ equity-based pricing subsidies apply only to its own store-branded women’s health products.

The ‘Pink Tax’

In a sponsored editorial published at FortuneWell, CVS wrote: “We are committed to ending gender-based price discrimination in our stores by eliminating the ‘pink tax,’ an increased price for personal care products marketed specifically to women compared to similar products for men.”

CVS Health Pink Tax Equity

Referring to manual razors and shaving cream as its marquee example for pricing equity, CVS says: “We don’t think women should pay more than men for the same thing. That’s why we’ve reviewed thousands of products to ensure similar items are priced equally, no matter who they are for.”

The ‘Pink Tax’ is also sometimes referred to as the ‘Tampon Tax’ or ‘Menstrual Tax.’ The high cost of feminine hygiene products is especially problematic for low-income women: 1 in 3 low-income women miss work, school, and outings because of a lack of period supplies, according to The Alliance for Period Supplies.

Period poverty can reduce women’s participation in school and the workplace — and is associated with higher rates of depression — according to a George Mason University study by Dr. Jhumka Gupta.

Sales Tax on Feminine Hygiene Products

Twenty-one states impose sales tax on menstrual products. In addition to lowering prices, CVS is paying the sales tax on its store-brand period products in the twelve of those states where it’s legal to do so.

CVS’ HERe Women’s Health Campaign

Price equity for menstrual products is part of CVS Health’s broader HERe corporate-responsibility campaign, which aligns CVS Health’s services to women’s health issues.

For instance, as the following CVS Health commercial highlights:

  • Women won’t “pay more than men for the same thing… or pay taxes for period products” at CVS Pharmacy. Nor will women “be told that our concerns are all in our head.”
  • Women can “ask tough questions, day or night” at CVS Minute Clinics
  • “HERe, we’re actually heard.”

The 30-second television commercial began airing on October 3, 2022. Two months post-launch, the commercial has been viewed on television 332 million times at an estimated advertising cost of $4.1 million.

A 15-second variation of the commercial focuses on ‘The Pink Tax’:

So far, The Pink Tax television commercial has been viewed 71 million times at an estimated advertising cost of $370,000.

Note the clever similarity and duality between the CVS Health logo and their campaign-specific logo for the CVS HERe initiative:

Women’s Health Advocacy

As part of its advocacy and education campaign, CVS tweeted this infographic:

In an earlier women’s health initiative, CVS committed to no longer displaying altered images in beauty advertisements.

Share this Article

Michael Organ
Michael Organhttps://CSR.org
Michael Organ is the Editor of CSR.org and CauseMarketing.com. He is also the host of the Meaningful Impact podcast. Listen to new episodes at MeaningfulImpact.com

Discover

Podcast

spot_imgspot_img

Latest

Caroline Roan of Pfizer is Named the 2022 CSR Professional of the Year by PRNews

The PRNews CSR Professional of the Year, Caroline Roan, is Pfizer's Chief Sustainability Officer, SVP of Global Health & Social Impact, and President of The Pfizer Foundation.

Dow Chemical’s Business Impact Fund is Honored as a Social-Impact Changemaker

Dow Chemical was honored as the first recipient of the Social-Impact Changemaker award, one of four innovation categories at the inaugural Corporate Citizenship Innovation Awards, organized by the Boston College Center for Corporate Citizenship

CVS Health’s Support After AND Before Hurricanes Fiona and Ian

To ensure continuity of care, CVS Health actively supported the health and safety of its employees and customers both after and before Hurricane Fiona and Ian.

T-Mobile Awards 25 More Hometown Grants

Twenty-five more small towns across America each received a T-Mobile Hometown Grant of up to $50,000 for community development projects, including: technology, education, environment and health care.

Marty Rodgers Wins the ACCP ‘Champion for Change’ Purpose Award

Accenture's Marty Rodgers has been recognized by the Association of Corporate Citizenship Professionals with a Purpose Award. Rodgers is their 2022 Champion for Change.

FEATURED

FOX Corp. Mixes News Coverage with Cause Marketing

FOX Corp. used its local network and cable television stations to broadly announce a $1 million donation to the Red Cross for Hurricane Ian disaster relief. Viewers were then also encouraged to contribute to relief efforts.

Suburu Promotes Its 4th Annual “National Make A Dog’s Day”

For the fourth consecutive year, Suburu has re-upped its CSR campaign to create affinity with dog lovers and those who relate to being an...

Sketchers Pays for The Nature Conservancy’s ‘Seal of Approval’

Skechers' cause marketing partnership allows the footwear company to prominently display The Nature Conservancy's logo as a seal of approval on co-branded Our Planet Matters shoes.

CVS Health’s Support After AND Before Hurricanes Fiona and Ian

To ensure continuity of care, CVS Health actively supported the health and safety of its employees and customers both after and before Hurricane Fiona and Ian.