Criticism of Rewe: Tax cuts on sanitary napkins etc. not passed on

Specifically, it’s about Hygiene products for women such as tampons, pads or panty liners. Um Period products To make them easier to access in times of rising prices, these have been exempt from ten percent value-added tax (sales tax) since the beginning of the year. However, not all domestic retailers passed on this financial relief to their customers. In some cases the costs were even increased.

Bipa and Billa are at the center of criticism

The Rewe Group’s stores are particularly criticized: Bei Beep Accordingly, four out of eight products observed became more expensive in 2025. At the end of December, the prices at six were reduced as part of a campaign, but were increased again in January instead of passing on the loss of VAT to consumers.

At Billa The price of a product was increased by 5.3 percent at the end of November and reduced by nine percent in January, which corresponds to a net price reduction of 4.2 percent. The price of one product remained the same; the VAT reduction was passed on in full for only two. In the Rewemarkets in Germany, the prices of the four products available there were not changed once over the entire observation period.

Bipa now wants to correct prices

Rewe rejected the criticism with one caveat: “In the case of individual, special feminine hygiene products (exclusively period underwear) that are only available in the Bipa online shop, the statutory provisions have been made Price adjustment Since January 1, 2026, we have “inadvertently not displayed it correctly, we very much regret that,” it said in a statement. This will be corrected immediately.

Otherwise, they want to make it clear: “In all around 580 Bipa branches throughout Austria, the complete reduction in sales tax on all feminine hygiene products was passed on without exception and in good time on January 1, 2026.” The abolition of the Sales tax on feminine hygiene products represents an important social step that Bipa expressly welcomes.

Spar, DM and Müller passed on tax cuts

Different than the Rewe chains come Spar, DM and Müller good for AK price observation away: Spar have the prices for sanitary napkins and Tampons reduced by ten percent and thus correctly passed on the VAT loss. Since February 2025, Spar has only increased the price of one product, but reduced its price again by 24.4 percent in January.

DM and Müller reduced the prices of the observed products by between nine and 24 percent at the turn of the year and previously only increased the price of one product in 2025.

At Hofer No comparison was possible because the products observed were removed from the range in 2025, it said in a press release.

Sales representatives: Want to pass on price reductions “one-for-one”.

The fact that prices were only partially reduced contradicts the announcements made by industry representatives. With regard to the tax cut for basic foodstuffs, trade association chairman Rainer Will recently promised in a statement ZIB-2-Interview that the retailers would pass on the savings “one-for-one” to the consumers.

However, if “international upheavals” occur, one cannot guarantee that the tax cut will automatically be reflected in the prices on supermarket shelves. Overall, let dThe government’s measure is an “important contribution”. With regard to the high prices in general, Will says that the trade “never made any extra money”.

Chamber of Labor calls for stricter sanctions for violations

For Stangl, price monitoring shows that the tax cut is not passed on by all retailers and that the government’s intended price cuts do not always reach people.

“It is obviously not enough for the Federal Competition Authority to analyze industries and monitor prices. In order for the authority to be effective Measures “In order to be able to combat anti-competitive behavior, legal regulations are needed,” he demands Concentration tendencies fuses.

“Not just at antitrust law “It must be possible to skim off illegal profits due to violations, but also when competition is continually disrupted,” said Stangl. In addition, the legal framework for price monitoring platforms should be improved, but new ones are not needed.

Criticism also comes from SPÖ Minister for Women Holzleitner

Sharp criticism came from Women’s Minister Eva-Maria Holzleitner (SPÖ): “Anyone who doesn’t pass on the tax exemption on feminine hygiene products is enriching themselves at the expense of women. Period.” This measure was introduced “to cushion inflation and not to increase corporate profits.” According to Holzleitner, “legal steps are already being prepared” to prevent this.

Similar to SPÖState Secretary Ulrike Königsberger-Ludwig: “Whoever is at the VAT“The price law stipulates that tax-related price advantages must be passed on. The penalty range for violations should now be increased. The government also wants to strengthen the BWB’s competencies, said Königsberger-Ludwig.