As tampons become the latest casualty of the supply chain crisis, some stores are limiting how many boxes customers can buy.
At a CVS in Boston’s Jamaica Plain neighborhood, signs are up in the feminine product aisle letting customers know they can only purchase two boxes at a time.
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"That’s ridiculous because we need tampons. We need pads. Women’s care is important and it should be a priority," Kristina Gonzalez of Boston said
Tampon suppliers blame the shortage on the rising cost of cotton and plastic and an increase in demand.
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Procter & Gamble, which makes Tampax, released a statement warning that some customers may be unable to “find what they need,” and added that they are working with retailers to keep the items on the shelves.
The sign from CVS asks customers for patients and says the company is working to secure additional supplies.
"There’s been a lot of things that we’ve had trouble finding at the store in the last few months so it doesn’t surprise me, but if people need them, they need them," Jennifer Lewis of Boston said.
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Not having access to tampons has many worried about health complications that could follow.
"When people don’t have the resources, they use what’s available to them and that can be dangerous. Also, using one tampon for longer than you should be can be dangerous as well," Bria Gadsden, the executive director of Love Your Menses said.
Love Your Menses is an organization focused on addressing period poverty. Gadsden said the shortage only amplifies the importance of the work they are doing. They are hosting a Period Pop Up event at the Walker Playground in Mattapan on July 8 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. where they will offer feminine products to anyone who needs them.
"Once we became aware of the tampon shortage, we just started accelerating what we were already doing. The event is open to the public. Anyone from the community can drop in and grab what you need," Gadsden said.
In addition to the shortage, the prices of feminine products have also gone up due to inflation.
"There should be more solutions because this is ridiculous," Gonzalez said.
