Shoppers have threatened to boycott Superdrug over the launch of a new plant-based range of sanitary towels for "people who menstruate". 

The 'Luna' range went on sale over the summer as an environmentally friendly and "inclusive" alternative to other sanitary products.

But the announcement triggered a backlash on social media, with the high street chain being accused of "female erasure" for its failure to refer to "women" on the packaging. 

The packaging for the product reads: "A person who menstruates will on average have over 400 periods and use around 11,000 period products in a lifetime.

"However, we understand periods are never average so we have created LUNA, a range of period products that suit you as an individual." 

Suzanne Evans, director of Political Insight, said she was "absolutely disgusted" with Superdrug. 

"What Superdrug is doing is discriminatory as well as stupid and offensive," she said. 

The launch of the range comes after JK Rowling attacked "inclusive" language that omits the word 'women'. 

She criticised an article that used the phrase "people who menstruate" in a tweet in which she said: "I'm sure there used to be a word for those people. Someone help me out. Wumben? Wimpund? Woomud?"

Last month, she handed back a Robert Kennedy human rights award after the late senator's daughter criticised her transgender views. 

Explaining her reasons for returning the award, she said: "I believe the time is coming when those organisations and individuals who have uncritically embraced fashionable dogma, and demonised those urging caution, will have to answer for the harm they've enabled."