Beans on toast soap aims to tackle hygiene poverty

Mandy Powell said she originally thought the product would be like a breakfast bar

A beans on toast flavoured edible soap has been launched to raise awareness of the choice some families face between buying food and hygiene products.

The Goodwash Company, from Barry, and The Hygiene Bank charity have produced the UK's first edible soap as part of a campaign to highlight hygiene poverty and to call for VAT on hygiene products to be cut.

Hygiene poverty was found to affect an estimated 4.2 million adults in the UK last year, according to research conducted by YouGov on behalf of The Hygiene Bank.

A UK Treasury spokesperson said they had introduced measures such as scrapping tampon tax to help people struggling with the cost of living but were aware there was "more to do".

Currently, soap and other essential hygiene products are subject to a 20% VAT rate, treating them as non-essential items.

The Hygiene Bank has started a petition calling for a change in tax around this.

Speaking to BBC Radio Wales Breakfast, Mandy Powell, CEO and co-founder of skin care brand The Goodwash Company, said she thought she would originally make a breakfast bar with oats and seaweed as a talking point about hygiene poverty.

"I went back to them with the idea and they said, no, we want a proper evening meal bar of soap, something like beans on toast or a chicken tikka masala," she said.

"So I'm back to the team and I said I think this is going to be a little bit more difficult than I originally thought. But here we are 12 months later and we've got beans on toast soap."

The soap is flavoured to taste like beans on toast, and is made out of cacao butter, organic oat flour, avocado oil and paprika as well as beans and toast flavouring.

The Goodwash have created a beans on toast flavoured soap

It is also possible to buy a virtual version of the soap on The Goodwash Company's website for £15, which according to The Hygiene Bank is the average cost of soap over a year.

All profits from the sale of the edible soap go directly to The Hygiene Bank.

"It is quite fun, but there is a serious message behind it," Ms Powell said.

Speaking about the campaign to cut VAT on hygiene products, Ruth Brock, CEO of The Hygiene Bank, said soap was a necessity, "not a luxury".

"This campaign is about more than just VAT reform - it's about recognising hygiene as a fundamental right," she added.

The soap has also caught the attention of Michelin star chefs in London where they have been adding shavings to the food.

"There's been about eight or ten Michelin star chefs in London that have requested the soap bar," Ms Powell added.

She added the chefs have been adding it to their dishes or including it on their restaurant menu to raise awareness of the campaign, describing it as "amazing".

One such chef is Chantelle Nicholson, owner of Mayfair restaurant Apricity, who has paired the soap with mushrooms and wild garlic.

A UK Treasury spokesperson said that all tax policy was made and decided on at fiscal events, which are statements such as the Budget made by the chancellor.

"We know many people are struggling with the cost of living which is why as well as delivering on our promise to scrap the tampon tax we are increasing the minimum wage by up to £1,400 a year, freezing fuel duty and protecting people's payslips from higher taxes," the spokesperson said.

"However, there is more to do. That's why our Plan for Change is about kickstarting economic growth so we can put more pounds in people's pockets."