Be Aware Of The Pink Tax

Women are paying more for similar items than men.  If you shop for men and women, you should notice that women pay more for many products and services.  There's really no reason for this disparity in pricing other than that retailers can get away with it.  Here are just a few of the many ways women pay more than men, in some cases just a few pennies, in other cases as much as double what a man pays.

Plus size clothing for women costs more than regular size clothing for women, yet for men, plus size clothing is the same price as regular size wear.  Retailers had argued that plus size clothing takes more fabric, but why then does it only cost more for women?  Companies arguing that the cost of designing plus size women's clothes costs more.  I don't believe it.

Dry cleaning and laundry costs are also unequal.  There was a big fuss about the cost of dry cleaning men and women's suits and blouses several years ago, and the dry cleaning industry has made costs similar for men and women.  However, laundry service for women can be as much as double the price of laundering a man's shirt.  The dry cleaning industry  argues that the pressing machines are designed for men's shirts, and women's blouses must be finished by hand.  I say,  "Design a pressing machine for women's shirts.  After all, we are half of the population."

Products such as deodorant, shampoo, shaving cream and pain relievers are the most prolific offenders.  Compare shampoo bottles from the same manufacture for men and women and you will find the same active ingredients in each, yet the price is more for women.  The only difference might be the packaging and the scent of the product.  This goes for most basic products that we use everyday, and the cost adds up.  Sometimes it's just an extra 10cents for the women's product, but often it's an extra dollar or more.  The fact of the matter is that women are willing to pay more for essential products, and most of us don't question the cost.  The pink tax could be costing us thousands of dollars per year.

Imported products cost women much more than men.  There is gender bias in the tariffs on imported goods.  The tariff on an imported women's suit is 8.5%, whereas the tariff on an imported men's suit is 0.0%.  Imported men's sneakers are charged an 8.5% tariff, while imported women's sneakers pay a 10% tariff.

Are things getting better?  Yes, they are.  With the implementation of ObamaCare,  there is no longer gender bias for the same health care services.  This is a big step forward for women.  We need retailers to get on board and stop taxing women more than men on equivalent products.  A French women's rights group started a petition to eliminate The Pink Tax.  It was so successful that The Finance Minister ordered an inquiry into possible price discrimination by French retailers in general.  That's a start.  So, shop carefully, and take note of this discrimination.  Being aware that we are not being equally is a first step in eliminating The Pink Tax.