"Condom benefits outweigh VAT revenues" - UK campaign:
This article was originally published in Clinica
Executive Summary
The UK high street pharmacy retailer Superdrug is lobbying the government for a reduction in value-added tax (VAT) on condoms, arguing that they should be classed as an essential health product, and not a luxury item. While VAT revenues from condoms stand annually at around £7m ($12m), their use saves an estimated £2.5bn per year through the prevention of STIs and unwanted pregnancies (according to the Independent Advisory Group for Sexual Health and HIV). As an EU member state, the UK cannot remove VAT (17.5%) on condoms, but can reduce it to 5%. Earlier this year, Superdrug cut VAT from its own brand. The company's "sex tax campaign" was raised in parliament in October, in the form of an early day motion sponsored by MP Lynne Jones.