If you buy women’s shaving products you may have noticed that they are usually pricier than men’s alternatives.
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Women's razors, shaving gel or foam can cost up to twice more while they seem to only differ in colour and design. But the price difference is not as upsetting as the reason behind it. Learn what it is.
So why do women have to pay more?
According to Ian Parkman, an academic at the University of Portland, companies that produce and market shaving essentials came to the ‘genius’ realisation that some customers are willing to pay more money for women's versions of originally men's goods.
To make matters worse, some items that were targeting women actually came in smaller sizes, which also means they had less of the physical product.
News calls this the ‘shrink it and pink it’ approach, which means women can end up paying more for a similar product than men do.
'Pink tax' is a thing
It may not seem like much, paying an extra ten cents here or a quarter there, but the gender-based price discrimination — also known as the ‘pink tax’ — could end up costing women a small fortune over a lifetime.
A study by New York City's Department of Consumer Affairs reported a significant gender-driven price gap between items made for men and women, as well as boys and girls. The price gap was found in products like personal care (13%), home health care and adult clothing (8%), girls' toys (7%), and even items that were simply pink in colour.
This issue is particularly sensitive because of the gender-led pay gap between men and women. In some cases, women between the ages of 25 to 34 earned 89 cents for every dollar a man of the same age group earned.
So the next time you're tempted to buy something because it looks feminine and is pink in colour, keep in mind that it's just a marketing ploy to get you to pay more money than your peers who may not be charmed by pastel shades.
Sources used:
- The List: 'The Real Reason Women's Shaving Products Cost More Than Men's'
