Bigger dispensers for sanitary product scheme

Bigger dispensers will make more products available to meet demand, Deputy Elaine Millar says

Bigger dispensers for sanitary products are set to be put in public toilets in St Helier to help meet demand.

The States provide free sanitary products in toilets across the island instead of removing a 5% Goods and Services Tax on tampons and other sanitary products in shops.

The free scheme has been criticised for the shortage of products in the dispensers, and was labelled "disrespectful to women" by a deputy.

Islander Emily Smith said she had never seen the Snow Hill toilet dispenser with any products since the scheme started in September.

'Really poorly executed'

She said: "I think the whole project's been really poorly executed.

"They've just stuck some metal boxes in a few public toilets, they committed to making sure they were checked on a daily basis.

"Unless literally someone's going in every day and taking all the products from Snow Hill, I honestly do not believe that that's being checked and restocked every day."

Ms Smith said the system was unhygienic, and suggested providing products as a monthly prescription scheme, or being able to collect products from pharmacies or shops instead.

She said: "The whole point of these free period products was that it was dignified and removed stigma, and I personally think that going to a box where people can just go through them, open them, touch them - there's absolutely nothing dignified about that.

"I think the general public in Jersey feel really let down by the scheme."

Emily Smith said she had never seen the Snow Hill toilet dispenser with any products since the scheme started

Deputy Elaine Millar, the Social Security Minister, said items were refilled daily - and bigger dispensers would make more products available to meet demand.

She said she hoped the government would be providing free sanitary products in four of the Co-op pharmacies by 1 December.

She said: "We have been working with the Co-op to do that and we are making sure that other venues are very well stocked.

"I think the fact that products were being taken shows that there's a demand, shows that there's a need and it shows that it is working.

"I think some of them are restocked twice a day, we will continue to monitor that, but I think there are lots of other locations."