Quebec pharmacies offering menstrual products at cost

To relieve women of some financial stress, pharmacies in Quebec are offering menstrual products at cost.

It started with one pharmacy owner in Shawinigan, and now a growing number of Familiprix locations across Quebec are joining in to offer menstrual products at cost.

The idea is simple: make a monthly expense a little more manageable.

Jean-Maurice Weibel owns two Familiprix pharmacies in Montreal, one in Mercier-Hochelaga-Maisonneuve and the other in Rosemont-La Petite-Patrie.

“As of this morning, we’re 31 Familiprix who went with this initiative, and it’s all over Quebec,” he said.

He says the cost of period products adds up quickly. Periods typically last at least four decades, which can mean hundreds of cycles and thousands of dollars spent on pads, tampons and other supplies.

“The struggle to afford necessities in general is a problem,” said pharmacy technical assistant Eliane Latreille. “I hear a lot of customers saying they struggle to pay their stuff.”

A recent federal study found that nearly 17 per cent of women in Canada have faced a moment where they couldn’t afford menstrual products.

In low-income households, that number climbs to one-in-four.

Latreille says the impact goes far beyond the checkout counter.

“For the women who don’t have the products they need, it can lead to absences in school, at work, in their daily life,” she said.

Those behind the initiative now want other retailers and governments to step up as well.

“We really hope there can be a change in politics and bring a larger discussion on menstrual precariousness,” said Latreille.

There is a financial tradeoff for participating pharmacies, but Weibel says it’s more of a move based on values, not profits.

“We are able to do that because we have loyal customers who buy locally,” he said.

The initiative can save customers upwards of 30 per cent.