Serviceplan Paris and Regles Elementaires Launch Campaign on Period Poverty in Europe

May. 29, 2025

To mark World Menstrual Hygiene Day, French nonprofit Règles Élémentaires and Serviceplan Paris have launched “The Weight of Period Poverty” — a striking campaign that draws attention to a growing crisis across Europe: 42% of women have experienced period poverty in the past year.

Period poverty means lacking access to enough menstrual products, information, and essential health and social services to manage one’s cycle with dignity. It affects nearly 50 million people in Europe, forcing many to resort to unsafe alternatives like rags, toilet paper, or overusing products — all of which can lead to health and psychological consequences. With inflation and rising costs of living, the price of menstrual products has surged across Europe — yet they remain unregulated and non-reimbursable in many countries.

To visualize the emotional and financial burden, tampon strings were attached to public statues across Paris — including iconic locations like the Tuileries Garden and the Carrousel du Louvre. Each statue was accompanied by a tag that read: “The statue is not heavy. The thread is.” The simple but powerful line underscored a stark reality — for many women, affording menstrual products remains a real and ongoing struggle.

Justine Okolodkoff, Deputy Executive Director of Règles Élémentaires said:

"We wanted to make something invisible, visible — and impossible to ignore."

 

The campaign then traveled to Brussels, where a large tampon sculpture was installed in front of the European Parliament, alongside 100 miniature replicas sent to lawmakers. The goal: raise awareness and push for EU-wide policy change. 

The campaign accompanies the release of a joint study conducted by OpinionWay for Règles Élémentaires, revealing:

• 42% of menstruating people in Europe faced financial hardship buying period products in the past year
• 51% believe periods are still a taboo subject
• 54% have never heard of menstrual health conditions
• 53% say pain from periods has stopped them from doing everyday activities

The project also launched #MenstrualMattersEU, a new coalition of 18 nonprofits from across Europe working together to raise awareness and drive change.

The sculptures were created by French design studio Little Anana and were designed to be both symbolic and shareable — helping bring the issue into public conversation.

Maud Leblon, Executive Director of Règles Elementaires said:

“This campaign is meant to force attention and speed up a political response that matches the urgency. As long as menstrual poverty is treated as a secondary issue, it will continue to weigh on the lives of women.”