The grant has been given to charity FareShare which will distribute sanitary products to more than 500 organisations, including community centres, food banks, refuges and drop-in centres across the country.

The organisation has already reached more than 35,000 individuals from low-income households since April 2018.

The funding is part of the Scottish Government’s commitment to tackling period inequality. In August 2018, the Scottish Government was the first government in the world to make free sanitary products available to all pupils and students.

It took further action in January 2019 providing funding to local authorities to make sanitary products available in more places and buildings for those who need them the most.

Communities secretary Aileen Campbell said: “This new funding will help us to remove the barriers some people face in accessing period products. FareShare do a fantastic job to ensure more people are able to get the products they need. It is unacceptable in this day and age that some individuals are missing out on education or staying at home because they can’t easily access sanitary products.

“As a government, we will continue to tackle period inequality and make more products available in dignified way to those who need it the most.”

Gillian Kynoch, FareShare Scotland head, said: “Even though FareShare Scotland’s main objective is to get surplus food to charities supporting vulnerable people, our distribution network and links to frontline charities puts us in a unique position to help alleviate the serious issue of period inequality.

“It’s not right that those on the lowest incomes have to make the agonising choice between buying food for their families and sanitary protection, which is why this funding from the Scottish Government is so vitally important.”