Community / Extension of free period products service ‘great to see’
Nearly 400 people responded to a Shetland Islands Council consultation on free period products
NOT KNOWING where to go to is the biggest barrier to accessing free period products in Shetland, according to a recent consultation.
Around a third of respondents also said embarrassment was a factor.
As previously reported, free period products are now available widely across Shetland under new Scottish legislation.
Up until now they were available in some council and UHI Shetland venues for pupils, students and the wider community, but it is now extended to other locations such as health and leisure centres.
Free products will also be available in a range of community venues across the isles like some local shops, Shetland Foodbank in Lerwick and Scalloway Museum, with folk able to take as much as they need. A list of local stockists can be found here.
Shetland Islands Council leader Emma Macdonald said period poverty is a “real issue for some people and it’s great to see this has now become available for everyone who needs them”.
The consultation, which ran during May and June and attracted nearly 400 responses, showed that eight out of ten people felt the post was good way to receive free products.
As a result, the council will be looking to offer an online order service in the coming months.
Two thirds of consultation respondents said not knowing where to get items was a key barrier in people accessing free products.
Not being sure about how many products someone can take at one time was also a factor.
Nearly one quarter of respondents said getting out to shops or other buildings which contain free products was an issue.
Not feeling any barriers, being able to afford it themselves, having to ask for products, choice of items and having to go somewhere to access the service were the most common additional responses.
Most people who responded to the consultation said toilets were the best place to access products from a public building.
On Monday Scotland became the first country in the world to protect the right to free sanitary products with new legislation.
Council leader Macdonald said the new law showed the benefits of cross-party collaboration.
“The Labour MSP Monica Lennon has been campaigning to end period poverty since 2016 and this does go to show that when people work together across parties they can make a real difference,” she said.
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