Germany Does Not Currently Have a 19 Tampon Tax

9th April 2022

Germany Does Not Currently Have a 19 Tampon Tax

Germany changed the 19% tax rate and reduced it to 7% in 2020 (Twitter).

The Claim

Tampons are being packaged and sold as books in Germany because it has a 19% tax on feminine hygiene products and a 7% tax on books.

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Emerging story

Social media users are circulating a claim purporting that Germany imposes a 19% nominal tax on feminine hygiene products and a 7% tax on books, which is why The Female Company is packaging tampons as books to be sold at a lower price.

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Misbar’s Analysis

Misbar investigated the claim and found it to be misleading. After mapping credible news sources, Misbar’s team found that Germany had a standard Value Added Tax (VAT) rate of 19%, which includes feminine hygiene products, as they are considered to be luxury items. There was a reduced rate of 7% for food, books, and other goods and services. A company called The Female Company packaged and concealed the tampons in a book as a form of “protest against the unfair and sexist taxation on tampons, sanitary pads and other feminine hygiene products.”

However, in November 2019, the German parliament scrapped the 19% tax and reduced it to 7% effective from January 1, 2020. This came following a petition with over 80, 000 signatures demanding that the German government lowers taxes on tampons, menstrual pads and other female hygiene products. Therefore, while the claim is true, it is misleading because it is outdated by over two years.

Based on the investigation, Misbar’s team confirms that the claim is misleading as the high tax rate on feminine hygiene products in Germany was changed to 7% over two years ago.