Nearly one quarter of Canadian women have experienced inadequate access to period products, causing devastating effects on their health and wellness

Shoppers Drug Mart Inc. teams up with U By Kotex and Food Banks Canada to shine a spotlight on period poverty

TORONTO, Aug. 5, 2020 /CNW/ - Period products shouldn't be considered a luxury item for anyone. Period. However, inadequate access to period products is a national reality for close to one quarter of Canadian women¹. And, according to a recent national survey commissioned by the LOVE YOU by Shoppers Drug Mart™ team, 17 per cent of Canadian women shared that they've had to make the difficult choice between buying a period product and an essential item on their grocery list more times than they can count². Faced with this impossible choice, 14 per cent of Canadian women have been forced to resort to using unhygienic alternatives to period products like socks, rags or old t-shirts and sometimes worse².

Contrasted with the fact that 78 per cent of Canadians admitted that they were not at all familiar with the term "period poverty"², the LOVE YOU by Shoppers Drug Mart team, U By Kotex and Food Banks Canada decided to join together to raise awareness around this often overlooked issue, and encourage action and donations.

The LOVE YOU by Shoppers Drug Mart team and U By Kotex have partnered up to give Canadians the opportunity to take action at the check-out with a buy one, give one initiative. U By Kotex will match the sale of every pack of period products with the donation of another box to a local food bank, up to 50,000 boxes. But that's just the start. 

Additionally, throughout the month of August, the LOVE YOU by Shoppers Drug Mart program will partner with influential Canadian women to shine a spotlight on period poverty and the story behind the #PeriodPovertyAlternatives that some Canadian women must resort to using in the absence of period products.

"This summer, alongside U by Kotex and Food Banks Canada, the LOVE YOU by Shoppers Drug Mart team wants to help end the stigma surrounding periods and encourage Canadians to join the movement against period poverty by spreading awareness of the issue faced by too many Canadian women," said Lisa Gibbs, Director, Community Investment, Shoppers Drug Mart. "We're hopeful that this initiative will not only support those in need, but inspire Canadians to consider the donation of period products to their local food banks year-round."

According to Food Banks Canada, over 430,000 women rely on food banks across the country  every month. However, unfortunately, period products are not often top of mind when it comes to donations, which is unsurprising considering only one quarter (26%) of Canadians are aware that women rely on their local food bank for personal care products such as tampons and pads². 

"Availability of period products at local food banks is essential in preserving the dignity of Canadian women who should never have to make the choice between food and period products," said Chris Hatch, CEO, Food Banks Canada. "Your local food bank accepts and encourages donations of period products, so that together we can help bring period poverty in Canada to an end."

The partnership with Food Banks Canada is part of a long term commitment by Shoppers Drug Mart Inc. through its LOVE YOU by Shoppers Drug Mart initiative to raise awareness and create action against period poverty in Canada. Since 2011, the LOVE YOU by Shoppers Drug Mart program has been committed to supporting women's health, including initiatives focused on helping women facing period poverty such as: product donations, local campaigns like Tampon Tuesday, making period product dispensers available to homeless women in Toronto, and strategic collaborations with partners like U by Kotex and Food Banks Canada.

Since 2018, the LOVE YOU by Shoppers Drug Mart program has supported 50,000 women facing period poverty through the donation of period products.

Canadians can do their part to help carry the momentum forward by visiting shoppersdrugmart.ca/periodpoverty to learn more about period poverty in Canada and how they can help.

About Shoppers Drug Mart Inc.      
Shoppers Drug Mart Inc. is one of the most recognized and trusted names in Canadian retailing. The company is the licensor of full-service retail drug stores operating under the name Shoppers Drug Mart (Pharmaprix in Québec). With almost 1,300 Shoppers Drug Mart and Pharmaprix stores operating in prime locations in each province and two territories, the company is one of the most convenient retailers in Canada. The company also licenses or owns 47 medical clinic pharmacies operating under the name Shoppers Simply Pharmacy (Pharmaprix Simplement Santé in Québec), and provides cosmetic dermatology services at two standalone locations, the Beauty Clinic. As well, the company owns and operates 43 corporate Wellwise by Shoppers Drug Mart stores and an ecommerce site Wellwise.ca, making it the largest Canadian retailer of home health care products and services. In addition to its retail store network, the company owns Medical Cannabis by Shoppers Drug Mart Inc., an online platform for the sale of medical cannabis, Shoppers Drug Mart Specialty Health Network Inc., a provider of specialty drug distribution, pharmacy and comprehensive patient support services, and MediSystem Inc., a provider of pharmaceutical products and services to long-term care facilities. Shoppers Drug Mart is an independent operating division of Loblaw Companies Limited.

About Food Banks Canada
Food Banks Canada provides national leadership to relieve hunger today and prevent hunger tomorrow in collaboration with the food bank network from coast-to-coast-to-coast. For 40 years, food banks have been dedicated to helping Canadians living with food insecurity. Over 3,000 food banks and community agencies come together to serve our most vulnerable neighbours who – last year – made 1.1 million visits to these organizations in one month alone, according to our HungerCount report. Over the past 10 years, as a system we've sourced and shared over 1.4 billion pounds of food and Food Banks Canada shared nearly $70 million in funding to help maximize collective impact and strengthen local capacity – while advocating for reducing the need for food banks. Our vision is clear: create a Canada where no one goes hungry. Visit http://www.foodbankscanada.ca/ to learn more.

About U by Kotex®
Kimberly-Clark created the feminine care category with the launch of the Kotex brand 100 years ago. Now, U by Kotex®, a full line of feminine care pads, liners and tampons, continues to push category boundaries. By providing outstanding protection and unique design, the brand brings women a better feminine care experience overall.

^1	"Reports and Publications," Plan Canada: A Canadian Gender Study - Period Stigma Report, 2019, https://plancanada.ca/reports-and-publications
^2	A survey commissioned by Shoppers Drug Mart: From June 23^rd to June 25^th 2020 an online survey of 3,025 randomly selected Canadian adults who are Maru Voice Canada panelists was executed by Maru/Blue. For comparison purposes, a probability sample of this size has an estimated margin of error (which measures sampling variability) of +/- 1.6%, 19 times out of 20. The results have been weighted by education, age, gender and region (and in Quebec, language) to match the population, according to Census data. This is to ensure the sample is representative of the entire adult population of Canada. Discrepancies in or between totals are due to rounding.

For more information, visit shoppersdrugmart.ca

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SOURCE Loblaw Companies Limited

Julie Dunham, Shoppers Drug Mart, 647-534-6059, [email protected]; Kim Gibson, Citizen Relations, 416-554-0050, [email protected]