A financially strapped job seeker says she was told by Auckland Work and Income staff she could not use a supermarket card for tampons or sanitary pads because they were considered luxury items.
The Ministry of Social Development has said the only items that cannot be bought on payment cards are electronics, appliances, alcohol and cigarettes.
The allegation has ignited a storm on social media after blogger Tulia Thompson wrote about it and described it as "institutionalised sexism".
Ms Thompson said the incident happened about six weeks ago at the Queen St Winz office.
The woman was provided with a supermarket card and told it was for "necessity items only" and she could not use it for various "luxury items" including tampons and pads, she said.
"Supermarket cards are only given out when the beneficiary is in serious financial hardship. Nevertheless, the exclusion of tampons and pads from the list of 'necessity items' that beneficiaries can buy when in financial hardship is a fairly extreme example of institutionalised sexism," she said.
Ms Thompson said another woman tried to use a Winz supermarket card at the check-out at her local supermarket, and the card didn't work.
"The cashier called Winz to find out why the card wouldn't work, and found out it was because she had tampons amongst the items she was purchasing. She had to return them."
Ms Thompson said another woman had contacted her in response to the blog to say the same thing had happened to her at a supermarket and the reason her card was rejected was because her sanitary item had been incorrectly labelled in the supermarket system to "pull-ups".
Ms Thompson said clearly there needed to be better communication between supermarkets and Winz to ensure women were not embarrassed at the check-out counter.
A spokeswoman for the Ministry of Social Development said any claims that female hygiene products could not be purchased using the Work and Income payment card were "totally untrue".
"Individual items are not tagged on payment cards. If someone's card doesn't work, it would be for a system reason and not because of what the person bought.
"The only items banned from purchase on the payment cards are electronics, appliances, alcohol and cigarettes."
But the spokeswoman said if people had a specific case or example where they had been incorrectly advised by a case manager, please contact Work and Income so they could look into it.
Minister of Social Development Paula Bennett was not immediately available for comment but she posted on Twitter "Rumours that women can't buy tampons with Work and Income payment cards are simply not true.end of story."
People who read Ms Thompson's blog have also taken to Twitter to express their opinions about the issue using the hashtag UnnecessaryTampons.
@surlymermaid wrote: "Compulsory hysterectomies for all who are foolish enough to demand a benefit whilst being in possession of a uterus #UnnecessaryTampons."
@MoataTamaira wrote: "Ha! If you're banished to the menstruating hut at the borders of the village for the week you don't need #unnecessarytampons #knowyourplace."
But @caffeine-addict tweeted: "Hey peeps the #unnecessarytampons thing is a cock up. Of course WINZ provides this. If WINZ or supermarkets say otherwise they're wrong."
@chrisphilpottnz pointed out: "Do nappies count as 'luxury items'? Problem solved. #unnecessarytampons."
@CMRanapia tweeted: "Stupid whinging beneficiaries, you can make your own #unnecessarytampons out of lint, cat hair and garden twine."
And @juliefairey tweeted: "Look, we all know beneficiaries will just leap at the chance to get free tampons and on-sell them on the black market #unnecessarytampons."
- Rebecca Quilliam of APNZ
