Waitrose removes 'feminine' from tampon name after trans complaint that 'not all people who have periods are women'

Fiona McAnena, director of advocacy at Sex Matters, accused the retailer of appeasing 'a noisy minority of gender activists'

Waitrose has removed the term "feminine" from its tampon name after a complaint that "not all people who have periods are women".

The supermarket chain will stop marketing period products specifically to females after a staff member raised concerns about the existing terminology.

According to a leaked internal document, the complainant argued: "Not all people who have periods are women."

The decision has sparked backlash from gender-critical campaigners, who have accused the retailer of having "erased womanhood" through the rebranding.

But Fiona McAnena, director of advocacy at Sex Matters, accused the retailer of appeasing "a noisy minority of gender activists".

She told The Telegraph: "Instead, the retailer is changing a commonly understood term for period products to appease a noisy minority of gender activists who are deeply out of step with the general public, as shown by poll after poll."

Ms McAnena added the terminology might be "a bit old-fashioned" but that it reflects that only women and girls have periods.

"That will never change, no matter how much irrational noise the trans lobby makes," she added.

James Esses, a Conservative councillor and gender-critical activist who obtained the document from a whistleblower, described the move as "disgraceful".

The internal document revealed the complainant expressed disappointment at sanitary items being categorised under "feminine care".

The complaint argued: "Trans men and some non-binary people have periods. The category also includes products used for incontinence.

"Yet the language we use still suggests that these products are exclusively for women and femininity."

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The staff member stressed "words matter because people matter" and "inclusion should never be conditional or performative".

A Waitrose manager responded positively to the concerns, agreeing "the term 'feminine care' does not accurately describe the products within the category and that this should be changed".

The manager indicated she would request the range and space manager and buyer update the naming "as soon as possible".

Mr Esses revealed a whistleblower from within the company had provided him with the internal correspondence.

In sharing the document, he said: "Waitrose erases womanhood.

"A whistleblower from Waitrose has just leaked an internal document to me, in which senior leaders have pledged to remove the name 'feminine care' from sanitary products, on the basis that 'not all people who have periods are women'.

A Waitrose spokesman said: "We're changing the name simply because 'feminine products' no longer reflects the product range, which now includes incontinence pads for men."