It is a basic right that is too expensive for some women and teenage girls living below the breadline.

And Boots’ Dewsbury branch has announced it is to lead the way in collecting donations of sanitary products for those who are struggling to budget for them among rising bills.

The announcement comes after talks with MP Paula Sherriff, a vocal campaigner for scrapping added VAT on sanitary products.

The MP and Shadow Women and Equalities Minister met with the pharmacy giants last week to discuss implementing donations boxes in its UK stores where customers can leave products, which will then be sent to local food banks such as Fusion Giving, run by Kirklees Neighbourhood Housing.

Boots have now vowed to make their branch in Dewsbury the first store to trial the donation boxes.

Paula Sherriff MP

Paula said: “Food banks like the one run by Fusion Giving in Dewsbury report that sanitary items are often in high demand.

“Unfortunately, the issue of poor and homeless women’s access to sanitary care is widespread and terribly under-estimated.

“I’m aiming to bring this humiliating and degrading inequality into the open and I hope that the move by Boots will encourage other companies to take corporate social responsibility seriously.”