Supermarket shopping data reveals menstrual pain prevalence and period poverty disparities across England
By
Victoria Sivill,
Summary
This study explores menstrual pain prevalence across England using an innovative method: analyzing supermarket shopping data for baskets containing both menstrual products and pain-relief medicines. Key findings include: 26.7% of customers bought pain relief together with menstrual products; people who menstruate were four times more likely to buy pain relief when purchasing menstrual items; lower-income regions showed 32% fewer menstrual-pain related purchases than higher-income regions; and a consistent 28-day cycle in purchases was observed, validating the behavioral data approach. The research highlights significant regional and income-based disparities in menstrual pain indicators and period poverty.
Source
bskySupermarket shopping data reveals menstrual pain prevalence and period poverty disparities across Englandjournals.plos.orgKey quotes
· 5 pulledMenstrual pain is extremely common, affecting more than nine in ten people who menstruate, yet it is rarely measured at a national level.
The results show that menstrual pain is highly prevalent: 26.7% of customers bought pain relief together with menstrual products.
Regions with lower average income showed 32% fewer menstrual-pain related purchases than higher-income regions, suggesting differences in access, need, or purchasing behaviour.
The data showed a consistent 28-day cycle in these purchases, supporting the use of behavioural data as a reliable indicator of menstrual pain.
Overall, the findings highlight meaningful regional differences and point to the need for further research to better understand and address menstrual pain and its impacts.
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