I normally wouldn’t make a post like this one, but about a year ago I made a post bemoaning the lack of tampon selection in Australia, specifically my preferred brand, Tampax Pearl. That post has been one of my most viewed posts (usually from people googling how to find Tampax Pearl in Australia) and recently some commenters have said they have started seeing them in local stores.
That’s great, but I have even better news: You can now get them online!
I just got an email this morning from Fishpond alerting me that they now have Tampax Pearls in stock. They are a bit pricey by my American standards, but tampons aren’t that cheap here anyways, and I guess if you’re desperate… well, beggars can’t be choosers. And they do currently have a wide variety of absorbencies, including ultra, super plus and lite, which are extremely hard to find here in any brand, let alone the coveted Tampax Pearl. Hooray!
They ship from a USA supplier, so I have no idea how long it would take to arrive by mail, but since Amazon US won’t ship them overseas and I haven’t found any US drugstore that will ship overseas, it’s definitely an improvement.
I have no idea how long they will keep these in stock (I’ve been on their list to be notified for months) or if they will be a permanent fixture, so if you need them, if it might be wise to stock up. Plus, if they sell a lot of them, they’ll be more likely to keep them in stock.
Update- 17 May 2013: Amy from Proctor & Gamble’s marketing agency very kindly got in touch with me about this blog and arranged to send me some samples of the new Australian Tampax Pearls. Thanks, Amy! Check out what she sent me!
That’s a lot of samples! 😀
As you can see from the packaging, they are pretty much identical to the American variety.
She sent me four boxes of the new tampons, which is pretty awesome because within the last two months, all the stores near me have stopped carrying any kind of Tampax and my stash was starting to run low.
Now, a lot of people have commented that they have been able to find Pearls in their local stores, so I’m hoping that eventually they will start to become easier for everyone to find, no matter where they live. If you’ve seen them near you, please post where you saw them.
My Tampax posts are both still among my top viewed posts and I get a lot of traffic every day from other women looking for Tampax tampons in Australia, so it would be great if they could be directed to specific shops that carry them. Besides, the more that get sold, the more likely it will be that other shops will start carrying them, too!
Housewife Down Under 
You’ve just made my day. But holy cow, they’re expensive.
I would imagine the international shipping cost might be built into the price?
Imagine if a man looks at your blog and this is the first post he sees. A tampon post gives new meaning to Housewife Down Under.
I think it’s great that your most popular post is about tampons. You never know what people are going to be drawn to.
I was so frustrated at the lack of tampon choice in Australia too! What’s with that? Good to know they is more choice!
It really is frustrating, even when you are familiar with what’s out there. My nearest grocery store no longer carries Tampax at all and the nearest pharmacy is often out of them. Thankfully, my mom just sent me a big shipment of Pearl Compaks from America, but I wish I could just buy what I need here and not have to go to half a dozen stores to find something suitable!
You can now buy tampax pearl in regular and super at Coles 🙂 I’ve have seen them in the shop and online!
U can get them at Coles now.
Hi there,
My name is Amy and I work with Procter & Gamble. I would love to get in touch about Tampax Pearl – my email is amy.medcalf@hausmann.com.au, we have a little something to send you.
Thanks,
Amy
Thanks for the free samples, Amy!
You can get tampax pearl in woolworths or coles 😀
Wow. Tampax Pearl FINALLY introduced to Australia, a first world country, in 2013. I swear this country is about 15 years behind America. So sad.
In more ways than one… 😉
So glad the pearls are available for everyone but where are the cardboard ones: ( I’m going nuts. I bought two packs of the pearls and I can’t use them, no where to grip. The Fish pond website seems to be totally out of tampons, everything is marked as unavailable! Grrrrrrrrrrr!
I’ve noticed the cardboard ones have all but disappeared in all the stores near me, though they have not been replaced with Pearls. A lady from P & G’s marketing agency contacted me about this blog post and sent me some boxes of the new Pearl variety. They do appear to have a grip, but since the plastic is a bit more slippery than cardboard, I can see how some people might find it more difficult. At this point, I’d just like stores to start stock Tampax again (any kind, please!) because I’ve looked everywhere and all the places that used to have them don’t have them anymore and haven’t had them for about two months. I’m starting to run low on my stash!
So! I called P & G about the product and Tampax is still in production but the Australia buyers are not placing orders (i.e. Aussie supermarkets and online pharmacies are not requesting this line of product due to the smaller market for it) So!! I asked how to create a working relationship with P & G and it looks like I will need to put a business proposal together and bid for a place in the market here in Australia.
Ladies – I am willing to do this, however do you the public think it’s worth it?
Let me know your thoughts below…
Cheers Carol
I was horrified today to find that my local IGA has stopped stocking Tampax – of any kind. I’m devastated as the only way I cope with my heavy flow is with Super Plus Tampax. I don’t know where I’m going to find it now as I haven’t seen it anywhere else for a long time. What on earth is going on in Australia? My life is going to be severely curtailed without my Tampax.
I noticed that a lot of the stores near me that stopped carrying any Tampax now have them back, both with the cardboard and Pearl applicators. So you could try another store or try ordering online. I did once order online from Woolworths when I couldn’t find them in my nearby stores and they delivered it right to my door the next day.
Yes!!! I’ve noticed all the stores which used to carry tampax have either been running out or have stopped stocking them (since May 2013 or so). Woolworths and the Chemist warehouse were where I used to get them but now it’s just Coles and they don’t sell super plus any more. I haven’t tried the plastic applicator tampons you talk about, but it doesn’t seem as good for the environment as paper so I’m happy with paper – when I can find it!
Also I’ve noticed even woolworths online doesn’t carry them any more near me (eastern melbourne)
I have found some Tampax Pearl at the Woolworths in Burwood East and some of the old cardboard ones at a pharmacy in Hawthorn. Can’t remember what it was called, but it’s on the corner of Burwood Road and Power Street, near an IGA. However, I’ve never seen the super plus in a store anywhere near me.
Coles and Woolworths now stock them for around $8! Woohoo
Just found them at Coles- Edgecliffe in Sydney…. I got very excited when I saw them!!! Haha
Hey there, I stumbled upon your post while looking for “super plus applicator tampons”. Unfortunately, the only ones that seem to be available on the shelves in Australia are the standard Tampax, which I find totally useless, as they expand lengthways and I ALWAYS have leaks with them. The Libra Girl applicator tampons are excellent, but I do wish they made them in Super Plus as well, for those of us who have a heavy few days at the start. I am interested to try the Pearls ever since seeing them on an online store a few years ago. One of my local supermarkets used to sell an Asian brand of applicator tampons that look very much like the Pearls… they worked very well… wouldn’t be surprised if they were the same thing! Another brand of applicator tampons worth trying is Natracare, which are made with organic cotton and have a cardboard applicator… something I prefer as I feel that tampons and pads do make a lot of landfill. I am assuming of course that NONE of you ladies reading this EVER flush your tampons down the toilet… right? Now THAT’s a no-no!