The “pink tax” is not just the extra cost of buying pads or tampons or other (TAXED!) menstrual products each month. It’s more than that. The “pink tax” refers to the systematic increase in price for products marketed towards women.
Of course, things marketed to different people will cost different amounts. But women’s products were found to cost more 42 percent of the time while men’s products only cost more 18 percent of the time. The New York City Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA) conducted a first-ever study of the gender pricing of goods in New York City across multiple industries, including: toys and accessories, children’s clothing, adult clothing, personal care products, and home health care products for seniors. They compared nearly 800 products with clear male and female versions from more than 90 brands sold at two dozen New York City retailers, both online and in stores. In all but five of the 35 product categories analyzed, products for female consumers were priced higher than those for male consumers.
These comparisons were made between products of equal value, often of the same brand and model with the color pink being the only difference between the two. The differences in price can be subtle or shocking. Although women only pay $0.16 more for deodorant, in more extreme examples, such as children’s toys, the difference can be staggering. In the following example of a toy comparison, the same brand scooters were compared. “My 1st Scooter Sport – Red” sold for $25, half the price of the $50 “Girls My 1st Scooter Sparkle – Pink”.
The study concluded that across the five categories they were testing, products for women or girls cost 7% more than comparable products for men and boys:
• 7 percent more for toys and accessories
• 4 percent more for children’s clothing
• 8 percent more for adult clothing
• 13 percent more for personal care products
• 8 percent more for senior/home health care products
So what can you do to combat this unfair increase in items marketed towards women? The immediate short-term answer is to stop supporting the pink tax by buying things that are overpriced because they are pink for women. Use products that are gender neutral or even marketed to men, such as razors, deodorant, sweatshirts, etc. Shop around and buy the best product for the best price, not the one that tells you to buy it just because you’re a woman.
Sources:
https://www1.nyc.gov/assets/dca/downloads/pdf/partners/Study-of-Gender-Pricing-in-NYC.pdf
https://www.listenmoneymatters.com/the-pink-tax/