What can large-scale retail do when it wants to take a clear, unequivocal stance on an important issue such as gender equality? For instance, act on the prices of certain specific products, such as sanitary towels, in an attempt to make its customers a little more aware of the small yet significant injustices perpetuated by our society every day. That is exactly what Coop has done with the launch of the campaign Close the gap – riduciamo le differenze, which involves all consumer cooperatives, employees, members and own-brand suppliers, and whose aim is to raise awareness through a series of small but concrete actions to combat inequalities.

After all, Coop could hardly avoid addressing the issue, being a major employer of women (70 per cent of its 55,000 employees are women), as well as an organisation in which more than half of the active members in local areas are women.

The first action of Close the gap: supporting the Stop Tampon tax petition

The first of the actions put in place is Coop's endorsement, ahead of 8 March, of the petition Stop Tampon tax! Il ciclo non è un lusso, promoted by the association "Onde Rosa" to cut VAT on sanitary towels. Today, these essential feminine hygiene products are treated as luxury goods and sold at a VAT rate of 22 per cent. So, to demonstrate its commitment, from 6 to 13 March, in all the chain's supermarkets and hypermarkets, sanitary towels on the shelves will be sold as if the VAT rate had been reduced to 4 per cent, while bespoke packaging will be created for a special edition of "Vivi Verde Coop" sanitary towels — already subject to the reduced rate because they are compostable — to remind customers to sign the petition.

"Inequality is generated first and foremost by structural factors, such as the poor gender representation that fails to pass on role models and therefore aspirations to young women, but it also starts from small differences," says Maura Latini, CEO of Coop Italia. "Such as the difference found in the taxation of hygiene and personal care products: sanitary towels, which are anything but a luxury item, are subject to 22 per cent VAT, on a par with clothing, cigarettes and wine, which are not considered essential goods. Lowering VAT on sanitary towels is not just an economic matter, a question of pure savings, but a cultural one too."

"We want to pursue the path in favour of a culture of diversity and inclusion with greater determination, with the idea of setting ourselves goals that are not merely cosmetic," explains Marco Pedroni, President of Coop Italia and Ancc-Coop (Associazione nazionale cooperative di consumatori). "Coop is very sensitive to this issue; the principle of integration and equality is a constitutive part of being a cooperative. The data we hold paint a picture that is better than average when it comes, for example, to the composition of our boards of directors, where over 44 per cent are women, or the presence of women in managerial roles as a share of total employees, which stands at over 32 per cent. Furthermore, all our cooperatives include equal opportunities commissions in their supplementary contracts, and women account for 50 per cent of those attending training courses aimed at positions of responsibility. In many points of our retail network we also rely on staff made up entirely of women; in store manager and department head roles we stand at 43 per cent female representation. But we want to do more and to report on it, seeking to act with greater determination on the front of female leadership, which is an important milestone for us too."

Although Coop's action is limited in scope, it operates in a market segment that is very heavily served by large-scale retail, where the vast majority of sales of feminine sanitary towels are concentrated. In a single year, around 3.9 billion are sold, of which 270 million through Coop alone. In revenue terms, this amounts to 400 million euros, of which 72 million is VAT.

The future of Close the gap

The Close the gap campaign's actions will not end there, however. At the consumer cooperatives' training centre "Scuola Coop", a dedicated training programme with voluntary enrolment is planned, aimed at raising the awareness and knowledge of managers and suppliers in the areas where the cooperatives operate. Those same suppliers will also be the recipients of an annual award intended to recognise commitment to equal pay between men and women and equitable treatment. Even though the first official edition is scheduled for spring 2022, on 29 March next, a number of accolades will be presented to suppliers who have distinguished themselves in this specific area.