Aldi backs 'no questions asked' idea in all supermarket toilets

Aldi backs 'no questions asked' idea in all supermarket toilets The budget supermarket is urging its rivals to copy its commitment to women and girls Aldi has claimed it has already handed out a million free period products in its store toilets for free. Now, the budget chain is urging rival supermarkets to follow suit. The supermarket says its move, launched in March 2025, lets shoppers and staff take pads and tampons “no questions asked”, without any code word, loyalty scheme or awkward request at the till. Aldi and its charity partner Freedom4Girls have now written to the bosses of major supermarkets asking them to offer the same, where facilities allow. New research commissioned by Aldi suggests the public is firmly behind the idea. In a poll of 2,000 UK shoppers, 67% said supermarkets should provide free pads and tampons in customer toilets, and the same number said they’d view a supermarket more positively if it did. Three-quarters (75%) said period products should be treated like everyday bathroom essentials, such as toilet paper and soap. Two-thirds (66%) said supermarkets have an important role in helping people who struggle to access or afford them. Aldi says the scheme is designed to help anyone caught out while away from home and it argues the simple change could remove stigma as well as cost barriers. The survey found the majority (69%) think free products in supermarket toilets would help people who unexpectedly start their period while out, more than half (58%) said it would help those who can’t afford products when they need them. Julie Ashfield, Chief Commercial Officer at Aldi UK, said: "Access to period products should be a basic right, not a privilege. That is why we made free period products available in our store toilets for customers and colleagues, with no questions asked. "The latest research shows shoppers support supermarkets making period products more accessible. Together with Freedom4Girls, we’ve written to the chief executives of other major UK supermarkets, encouraging them to consider introducing free period products where facilities allow. "This is a simple, practical step that could make a real difference to customers and colleagues across the country. These products are essential, and we believe making them freely available is the right thing to do." Freedom4Girls founder Tina Leslie MBE said the charity wants the move to go further across the industry, describing supermarket toilets as a discreet place for people to get what they need without fuss. Tina said: "Period poverty remains a huge issue in the UK, and we’re encouraged to see Aldi continuing to use its platform to push for wider change. "Providing free period products in supermarket toilets is a practical way to help people access what they need discreetly and with dignity. We would welcome more retailers taking similar action to help tackle stigma, affordability and access." The polling also suggests shoppers think supermarket loos should be top of the list for free provision: - 56% picked customer toilets ahead of places like shopping centres, transport hubs and leisure centres. - Nearly two thirds (62%) said they would expect big supermarkets to provide free period products in customer toilets - 51% said they’d be more likely to shop with a retailer offering them. Aldi says its loo rollout sits alongside other donations aimed at tackling period poverty. The supermarket says it has also donated one million period products through partnerships, including Freedom4Girls, and shoppers can donate items via in-store donation points, with goods distributed through its community partner Neighbourly.