Tampax blames Amy Schumer ads for tampon shortages, sales ‘explosion’

Procter & Gamble is blaming comedian Amy Schumer for a tampon shortage, saying sales have soared since she starred in a series of commercials for the corporation almost two years ago.

Schumer, 41, appeared in advertisements for Tampax — America’s most popular tampon brand owned by P&G — aiming to normalize conversations about menstruation in July 2020.

“Retail sales growth has exploded,” company spokeswoman Cheri McMaster told Time magazine, saying demand is up 7.7% since the commercials aired nearly two years ago.

According to McMaster, the company is running its Tampax factory in Maine 24 hours a day to try and keep up with the demand.

Time reports that Tampax tampons are currently hard to come by in many parts of the country, “with Amazon sellers taking advantage of the shortage.” In January, the magazine reports, one box of 18 Tampax “listed for $114, about $6 more more — per tampon — than women usually pay.”

The Post has reached out to both Schumer and P&G for comment.

Empty tampon shelves at a CVS in Manhattan are pictured. P&G says sales of their Tampax tampons have skyrocketed since Schumer starred in their commercials. Helayne Seidman

According to Time, P&G “posted its biggest sales gain in decades in the most recent quarter, and the amount of money it made from sales in its feminine care division was up 10%.”

But the magazine appears skeptical of P&G’s claim that Schumer is responsible for the shortage — questioning whether contemporary commercials alone actually have the power to move products out the door.

Plus, other brands of tampons, including Playtex, are also in short supply, and they don’t have the star of “Trainwreck” to blame.

Procter & Gamble claim the sales of Tampax tampons have soared since comedian-actress Amy Schumer starred in a series of “edu-tainment” commercials. The company is now dealing with shortages of the essential women’s product. The comedian is seen in one of the commercials, shot back in July 2020, demonstrating how to use a tampon on a jelly doughnut. The brand hoped the ads would normalize conversations about menstruation. Tampax

Time claims the COVID-19 pandemic is partially responsible, as cotton, plastic and paper pulp used to make tampons have been in high demand to make masks and other personal protective equipment — putting pressure on the supply chain.

Factory closures and staff shortages have also contributed to the problem.

Meanwhile, tampons aren’t the only essential item that is hard to find in stores across the country.

Empty tampon shelves are currently a common sight across the country. Helayne Seidman

Panicked parents are grappling with a crippling shortage of baby formula, with the crisis predicted to continue for two more months.

The shortages have sparked fights in supermarket aisles and the hospitalization of two infants.

Meanwhile, it’s unclear how much Schumer was paid for the purportedly influential commercials, but P&G excitedly announced their partnership with the comedian in a press release in July 2020.

“When we chose to focus on tampon and period education, we knew Amy Schumer was a perfect fit because Amy doesn’t shy away from anything,” they stated.

It’s unclear how much Schumer was paid for the purportedly influential commercials, but P&G excitedly announced their partnership with the comedian in a press release in July 2020. Tampax

“Our goal is to make period and tampon conversations as normal as periods and the first step is getting people comfortable talking about them,” they added. “We hope this partnership and our new, engaging ‘edu-tainment’ period and tampon content will encourage more people to laugh, talk and learn about them.”