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You probably already know that men make more money than women on average, but did you know that women also have to pay a higher price for products similar to men’s? Despite the close resemblance between both men’s and women’s personal care products, women had to pay as much as 50% more for personal care products than men, as highlighted by Consumer Reports in 2010.
As you might have realized by now, products for women usually come in colors of pink and purple, while products for men typically come in blue or black packaging. Even the names of these brands are marketed towards certain genders. For instance, some of the “masculine” products are named “Maan”, “Sir Shaaven”, or “Manli.” While these may just seem like simple colors and names, the price for the more “feminine” products are far higher than the “masculine” products. As a result, women have to pay a higher price than men for the same products, even though they make far less than men do annually.
In addition to the pink tax, women have to pay the price of the “tampon tax,” an extra price placed on essential hygiene products for women such as pads, liners, tampons, and menstrual cups. As of now, 36 out of 50 states still have this tax in place. Some might believe that this tax is no different from other types of sales taxes that states put in place, but you might be surprised at the types of products that don’t have a sales tax. For example, Rogaine, the anti-dandruff shampoo, is an item that doesn’t get taxed. Other items include Viagra, marshmallows in Florida, cooking wine in California, and even items such as snowmobiles in Maine. It is a bit ridiculous to see items such as these not being taxed while necessary products such as tampons and pads are considered to be luxurious.
Why is the pink tax a problem?
There are many causes that have led up to the placement of pink tax on essential hygiene products, but the most significant of these causes is the gender expectations that many companies follow to market their products, and the norms that have been embedded into our society. Additionally, because higher tariffs are often placed for “feminine” products, competition present between corporations forces them to place a higher price on products targeted towards women.
Putting an End to the Pink Tax
Research the brands you buy from. In order to identify the brands that do place a pink tax on women’s products, compare the prices of “feminine” and “masculine” products the brand sells 一 if the ingredients match up for the most part and there is a higher price placed on the more “feminine” products, then you know it’s a brand that places a pink tax.
Try making more purchases on Unisex Products. A lot of the time, unisex products are far cheaper than products specifically targeted towards females.
Show support for companies that make a stand against the pink tax. Some companies that are against the pink tac are Billie, Boxed, and the European Wax Center.
Use your voice. Speak up against the pink tax and ask shops if you are paying the same price for a product as a man would pay.
Become politically active. You can contact your government representatives about the pink tax, and encourage them to address your concerns about the pink tax. Do your research and identify the government representatives that do support abolishing the pink tax.