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CVS brand period products saw a 25% price cut in mid-October, thanks to a move by the retailer to lessen the financial burden of feminine hygiene necessities. With rising prices on basically everything you find at the grocery store or pharmacy, it’s a welcome gesture.
These new, lower prices went into effect on Oct. 13 and will impact all CVS Pharmacy locations nationwide.
In addition, CVS will pay the sales tax on these products in some states that still have what is known as the “tampon tax” or “pink tax.” But more on that in a minute.
Below you’ll find everything we know about this price change and how it will impact your monthly expenditures on period products.
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CVS period products are getting a lower price.
As of Oct. 13, you’ll find CVS store brand menstrual products are 25% less than the prices you have previously been paying on the same items.
“Women deserve quality when it comes to the products they may need each month,” says the CVS website regarding this change. We’ve reduced the price on CVS Health brand period products by 25%* in core CVS Pharmacy locations.”
With this change, CVS Health Super Absorbency Fresh Scent Tampons, 18-ct, are now $3.89 a box (that’s $0.22 per tampon). If you have Care Pass, the box price drops down to $3.11.
In comparison, Tampax Pearl Tampons Super Plus, 18-ct, cost $6.79 a box at CVS. That makes each tampon costs $0.38.
It isn’t easy to find stats on how many tampons or maxi pads women use each year, which is kind of shocking considering how integral to women’s lives they are. For argument’s sake, let’s say you purchase one 18-ct. box each month. If you’re buying a name brand, like the Tampax mentioned above, that’s $81.48, plus tax (if you live in a state that taxes these items) annually.
Related: The Ultimate Guide to Saving Money on Tampons and Pads
In which states will CVS pay the taxes on menstrual products?
As previously mentioned, CVS is paying the sales tax on some feminine hygiene products in 12 states. Most of these still have what is known as a “pink tax” on these types of products. Note that these are not all of the states that continue to have taxes on period products, but they are the ones in which CVS will pay the sales tax on behalf of the customer (both in-store and online). These states include:
- Arkansas
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Louisiana
- Missouri
- South Carolina
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Virginia
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
Here’s how much the lower cost of CVS period products will save you.
Now that we’ve gotten into the how and the why of CVS’s price reduction on their store-brand menstrual products, let’s look at how this could affect your wallet.
Tampons
Let’s say you were already a regular buyer of CVS Health branded tampons. Before the 25% price cut, each 18-ct. box would have cost you $5.19 per month. This means your expenditure on tampons and savings is as follows:
- Annually, before price cut: 62.28
- Annually after price cut: $46.68
- You save: $15.60
Maxi Pads
CVS Health Maxi Pads Regular, 48-ct, are now $4.99. Before the 25% price cut, each bag would have cost $6.65. For your yearly savings, let’s take a look:
- Annually, before price cut: $79.80
- Annually, after price cut: $59.88
- You save: $19.92
