Aussies definitely have not been timid concerning their aggravations with the rising costs of op-shop “bargains” over the current years. And recently was no various when 2 females delighting in a “ladies’ day out” made a “disgusting” discovery at a Salvation Army store in the Brisbane suburb of Mount Gravatt.
In a video posted on TikTok, the women said they were browsing for treasures when they found something they believed was “really pushing the envelope”. One of the shoppers can be heard narrating as the pair walk into the store and straight over to a shelf near the back of the shop.
“The most awful thing to see,” she says as the other woman picks up an opened single Libra sanitary pad with a $2 price tag. “They’re actually selling this, that’s just disgusting,” she says.
The women later commented that they were so “stunned” by the find that they left it in place and walked out of the store.
Theft to blame for single sanitary pad found in Salvos store
The video clip has since gone viral, racking up tens of thousands of views from angry Aussies saying that charity pricing is now “absolutely nuts” — however, there appears to be more to the story.
Yahoo News Australia understands the sanitary pad was initially part of a larger pack for sale for $2 but was left behind when the rest were stolen.
A response sent by a Salvation Army representative to one of the women states that staff placed a sealed 10-pack of sanitary pads on the sales floor for the set price.
“I can only assume that the others have been taken and the one you picked up was left, and the $2 price ticket put onto it,” the statement which she published online says.
“It is not the intention of the team to insult women no matter what their financial status is and will do their upmost to make sure this sort of thing does not happen again.”
Yahoo understands the Salvation Army does have services in place to provide sanitary products for those in need.
Women struggling to buy period products due to the cost
With the cost-of-living tightening its grip on Aussies’ wallets, it’s no secret many are cutting down on their expenses — or even turning to theft to make ends meet.
Worryingly, this also means a large number of women are going without essential items.
According a survey conducted by not-for-profit organisation Share the Dignity, 64 per cent of people who menstruate have found it difficult to buy period products due to the cost. Another 30 per cent admitted to wearing a tampon for longer than four hours for the same reason.
“It breaks my heart to see such high rates of period poverty continuing here in Australia. No one should have to go without these basic essentials, yet this issue is alarmingly prevalent,” Share the Dignity founder and managing director Rochelle Courtenay said in August.
“I had hoped to see a significant drop in the effects of period poverty when compared to our last survey in 2021, but it is just as high showing that our governments need to act now to ensure basic dignity for Australians.
“To ensure access to pads and tampons to the most vulnerable or those living in period poverty, we will continue installing Dignity Vending Machines in public toilets, charities, homeless hubs, domestic violence, refuges, community centres, and Aboriginal Health Services working on improving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’s menstrual health.”
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