Shoppers Drug Mart mid-way through mission to donate 40 million period care products

In celebration of May 28, Menstrual Hygiene Day, which focuses on period poverty around the world, Shoppers Drug Mart is highlighting its initiative to donate menstrual products to Canadian schools. In 2021, the company committed to donating 40 million period care products to Canadian schools, and it has donated 25 million so far. The donations are through the Shoppers Foundation for Women's Health, business partners, and the governments of Ontario, Manitoba and Saskatchewan.“For too long, inequitable access to menstrual products has held millions back from reaching their full potential—every absent day of school or sick day at work is a missed opportunity to learn, grow and thrive,” Jeff Leger, president of Shoppers Drug Mart, said in a press release on May 28. “We're proud to do our part in the fight for menstrual equity, but until every Canadian has equal access to the menstrual products they need and deserve, we know there's more work to be done. Today, on Menstrual Hygiene Day, we recommit ourselves to the vision of a #PerdiodFriendlyWorld and a Canada where no one is left behind.”According to responses from a 2023 survey from Environics Research, one-quarter of Canadians who menstruate and are in low-income households have personally experienced period poverty. Overall, 17% of Canadians who menstruate have. There’s also significant stigma around this, with one in four Canadians saying that periods are dirty and unclean, and one in five saying menstruation shouldn’t be discussed in public. Not having needed menstruation products can lead to stigma, lower self-confidence and health risks from reusing single-use products or replacing them with things like rags.“It is clear that menstrual products are not a luxury but a necessity for any girl in Ontario schools. That is why our government launched a free program across all Ontario high schools, in conjunction with Shoppers Drug Mart who provided millions of products that will support the positive mental and physical health of children,” Stephen Lecce, Ontario's minister of education, said. Read: More of your patients may experience ‘period poverty’ than you think

Shoppers Drug Mart mid-way through mission to donate 40 million period care products

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