Tax on period pants is set to be scrapped in the Autumn Statement on Wednesday - after M&S, Sainsbury’s, Tesco, John Lewis and Mountain Warehouse covered the cost of VAT on its range of period underwear. Chancellor Jeremy Hunt is expected to announce that the specialist underwear will no longer be subject to VAT from January.

It will join other sanitary products such as pads and tampons, which have been exempt from the 20 per cent levy since 2021. The ‘Say Pants to the Tax’ campaign, led by M&S and Wuka, has been well received and well-backed by a whopping 36,000 shoppers and customers.

SNP home affairs spokesperson Alison Thewliss said in a statement ahead of the change: "The chancellor has already accepted the logic of removing VAT on sanitary products, so it's only right that he extends that VAT cut to period pants. They are essential for many women and girls."

READ MORE Met Office breaks silence on snow hitting UK across 11 dates in November and December

Darcey Finch, a 26-year-old illustrator, who has used period pants since the pandemic said she found them "really expensive" and was surprised that they were taxed differently to tampons and pads. "I just assumed they wouldn't be taxed - the only negative to them is the price," Darcey told BBC News.

"It's unfair that they are not taxed the same as other period products - they're just extra-padded knickers which are far better for the environment and way more comfortable, taking the stress away at night," she said. "The government made a brilliant start by removing VAT from disposable period products, but we need them to finish the job and level the playing field," said Victoria McKenzie-Gould, corporate affairs director at M&S.

Earlier this year, a spokesperson from the Treasury said: "We are committed to making sanitary products affordable and available to all who need them. That is why we have delivered on our promise to scrap the tampon tax so that VAT is no longer charged on sanitary products, such as pads, tampons and reusable menstrual products such as menstrual cups.

"We have also rolled out free sanitary products in schools, colleges and hospitals to continue our fight to end period poverty once and for all," the spokesperson added.