Under garish lights, surrounded by the impossibly tall shelves of your local supermarket, you do your weekly shop. It’s not the most riveting way to spend your weekend, but like all chores it needs doing, so you plough your way through the labyrinth of aisles and head towards the back of the store to stock up on hygiene essentials: razors, deodorant, etc.
There, a kaleidoscope of pink and blue awaits you. The shelves are so organised, so well-structured that you reach for the items you need without double-checking the price tag. Why would you? You know which products you’re meant to use — pinks for women, blues for men. But what if I told you that you are being swindled? That, if you are a woman, you’re likely paying a decent percentage more for your essentials than men?
Battle of the Sexes
Pink tax is an unofficial levy on products marketed towards women, despite the fact they are near-identical to those offered to men. The tactics companies use can be subtle; such as charging different prices for gender-specific items. To unapologetically obvious; like doubling the price of products with hyper-feminine packaging. While the theory of pink tax applies to a range of products, it is particularly prevalent amongst toiletries and personal care items. For example, researchers who analysed products from six major retailers in Britain found that, on average, women’s deodorant was 10.6 per cent dearer than men’s and women’s moisturiser was 34.3 per cent more expensive.
Unfortunately, pink tax is not unique to this country. Gender-targeted pricing is so widespread across the globe that the UN called on Member States to end the practice in 2017. So, seven years on, has anything changed? I decided to do a little digging, to see how prevalent pink tax is amongst common supermarket and e-commerce items today — and what I discovered may shock you …
Comparing Prices* of Appliances Advertised to Different Genders
1) Two-Slice Toaster
Men’s: £15.99
Women’s: £29.76
Women pay 86.1 per cent more.
2) Electric Kettle (2L)
Men’s: £9.99
Women’s: £21.31
Women pay 113.3 per cent more.
3) Measuring Tape (150 cm)
Men’s: £3.99
Women’s: £11.26
Women pay 182.2 per cent more.
Comparing Prices* of Gender-Specific Toiletries
1) Deodorant with 72 Hour Protection (250 ml)
Blue Packaging: £2.50
Pink Packaging: £3.60
Women pay 44 per cent more.
2) Four Pack of Razors
Blue Razors: £1.50
Pink Razors: £2.50
Women pay 66.7 per cent more.
3) Foaming Shaving Gel (200 ml)
Men’s: £1.50
Women’s: £3.55
Women pay 136.7 per cent more.
What’s the Toll on Women?
Playing devil’s advocate, some could argue that my investigation doesn’t quite show the presence of pink tax. Rather, the different price tags merely reflect the unique elements within each product. For example, one of the world’s largest providers of shaving supplies released a statement saying its gender-specific items ‘are different [prices] because men and women have different needs’ and it ensures ‘any pricing differences are driven by non-gender based factors such as product features and benefits, material costs’ and so on. Taken at face value, this makes sense. Items for men and women are comprised of different materials and ingredients, which entail different production costs.
But do these minor differences justify charging women more? No.
When companies claim different formulas are the root cause of price disparities, this usually ‘accounts for only one per cent of ingredients.’ Crucially, these ingredients — like floral scents — are intentionally included to ensure the products appeal to females. As women drive 70 per cent of consumer spending in the UK, it isn’t unreasonable to assume that brands aim to take advantage of this large demographic by enticing them with feminine products. After all, at their core, businesses are about profits.
Just think about the price disparity of the measuring tapes above. They are identical in every way except for their target buyer. How can charging women almost triple the price be anything other than a cheeky bid to see whether they are frivolous enough to not realise that they are being ripped off?
Pink tax isn’t just financially problematic, it is downright insulting. Brands assume that female consumers are pink-obsessed shopaholics and exploit the stereotype for profit. But what toll does this have on women — particularly on their financial well-being?
Sophia Lerche-Thomsen, CFA is a Financial Adviser at Frizzell Wealth Management, who specialises in retirement planning and investing responsibly. While she’s incredibly passionate about closing the gender wealth gap, she recognises that pink tax is a significant barrier to achieving this:
’Our sense of financial well-being is deeply influenced by how wealthy we feel,’ she says. ‘Being wealthy isn’t about having a high income; it’s more […] about knowing you can maintain your lifestyle today and in the future.
’This is precisely why the pink tax can be so detrimental — it is a contributing factor to reducing a woman’s feeling of wealth by reducing her disposable income and affecting her overall financial wellbeing.’
Red Magazine estimates that women could be spending almost £3,000 more on toiletries across their lifetime than men, which is especially concerning when you consider the prevalence of the gender pay gap. Because of this, shoppers must be aware of pink tax and learn to avoid it. Sophia recommends that women compare products from across gender lines and search for brands with gender-neutral pricing to avoid being disadvantaged in the future:
‘Over time, these extra costs restrict a woman’s ability to save, contributing to a significant gender wealth gap,’ explains Sophia. ‘I notice the gender wealth gap is particularly evident with my female clients during retirement. In fact, a recent study by NOW: Pensions showed that women’s pensions are, on average, worth only £69,000 compared to men [who have] £205,000 at retirement age.’
Romi Savova, founder of PensionBee, agrees: ‘Before you shrug off the implications of pink tax, think about where this lost income goes: into the pockets of the retailers and not into your future.’
Ultimately, the pink tax is another source of injustice that places a hefty economic burden on women. Gender-based price discrimination hinders our financial well-being and fractures our sense of security. So, think twice before reaching for that pretty pink deodorant.
*Prices were sourced between 27th June and 5th July 2024 from recommended retailers. Brand names have been omitted.
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