Removing tax from period products in Jersey's shops would be "pointless", the social security minister says.

Elaine Millar said the government had spent more than £500,000 on its free period product scheme since it began four years ago.

Campaigners and islanders said the scheme was still not good enough because those buying the items themselves still had to pay a goods and services (GST) tax. However, Miller said removing GST would not be "effective" and anyone with affordability issues could "use the free scheme".

Jersey still remains the only place in the British Isles to charge tax on its sanitary products. It was close to being removed in 2022 when politicians voted to remove the 5% GST.

The government began its free product scheme in October 2022, providing sanitary items in a range of locations including public toilets and government buildings.

In exchange, it reversed its decision to remove the GST.

Millar said there was no need to remove tax from products in the shops as people could get them for free instead.

She said: "If you look at simple facts, simple maths, if you're spending £5 a month on sanitary products, taking GST off, if the saving was passed on, would save you 25 pence.

"With free products, you're saving £5 because you're getting the entire product free.

"I don't think it would be effective and, if people have issue with affordability and accessibility, we have resolved that by the free product scheme."

The only goods and services which are exempt from GST are: financial services, insurance, postal services, medical supplies, medicines on prescription, supplies by charities, registered child​care, some burial and cremation services, and school fees.

Millar said the scheme had expanded the range of products and locations people could collect them from and she believed it was a "testament to the need and the demand for the scheme".

"It's addressing affordability issues for people, but also accessibility and just making it a commonplace part of life that women need to pick up as just as part of general living," she said.

President of Soroptimist International Jersey Debbie Taylor said the initiative was "great" but still taxing the products in shops was "another example of inequality".

She said: "This is just another thing that's just glaringly obvious that, hang on a minute, women are paying every month – they're paying for a product with GST on top.

"It needs to change – it only would make a very small difference to everybody. But wouldn't that small difference be worth doing? Those few little pounds that you save can go on something else?"

Taylor said, with the new government being represented by "more women than ever", it should be considering removing the GST.

She said: "Yes, it may take a bit of time and a bit of money to sort it out, but I think it's something that we, as women, deserve.

"I just think that it's ideal opportunity now for, as we have so many women in government, to make sure the women's health strategy is pushed forward and why not include whether we pay GST on female products."

When asked if Miller would have voted for the proposition to remove the GST when it went through in 2022, she said she "wouldn't support it because I don't think it would produce any effective benefit".

Taylor said this was "a little short-sighted".

She said: "Thinking about women in general in Jersey, I think it may not seem right for her or for her gut in the government's position, but I do wish that they would think a little bit further about about it and and maybe do a survey.

"Maybe ask women whether they want it reduced – I'm sure they would."

The BBC spoke to people on the street about the issue.

Carole said it was "absolutely ridiculous" that tax was still being charged.

She said: "It's crazy – you can't do without them. It's an essential part of life.

"If we didn't need them, I'm sure we wouldn't buy them. Luxuries are things you want you want to buy… those sanitary products are definitely not things you want to buy."

Chris said the free period product scheme was a "bit of initiative from the government" but believed tax "shouldn't be added".

Charlie said in an "ideal scenario, none of us are going to pay tax on something that's a necessity that none of us can help".

She said: "That being said, obviously there's a load of free tampons and products and pads that you can pick up in supermarkets and public places.

"I do think that's a really really good system and kind of counteracts the tax to a certain extent."

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