A disguised disparity- The pink tax

Unveiling the Pink Tax and Its Impact on Women's Finances

When it comes to wage equality for similar work, only five out of the 146 countries analyzed achieved scores higher than 0.80, a score of 1.0 would mean full wage parity. This score is a distant or sometimes even an intentionally unachievable dream for several countries. With an already existing salient wage inequality, we also get to experience first-hand a muted factor that influences a woman’s finances- The pink tax. While not an actual tax, the price difference represents a form of gender-based pricing that cumulatively impacts women’s financial health.

What is the pink tax and have we unconsciously accepted it into our lives without thinking? 

Men and women often buy similar day-to-day products. But research shows that consumer products targeted and advertised to women are sometimes more expensive than comparable products marketed to men. This disparity is referred to as a so-called pink tax.

Imagine this scene, you walk into a supermarket looking for a personal care product, find it and realize that the same product with fairly same ingredients is being sold at different prices for men and women separately. You dismiss this as an isolated case but the hard reality is that it’s not. This lack of awareness ultimately gives this practice the green light to continue without any checks.

A million products across the world are priced differently for men and women, not only are these daily use items that women buy without thinking but also products that are marketed in a way that compel women to buy them to maintain their social status. Products targeted for women are designed and packaged differently perhaps more like a need than a want which drives women to possess the product without being cognizant about the ultimate functionality of the product remaining the same. For example, a body wash may be marketed with pink packaging and a more “feminine” fragrance or design for women, while men’s are marketed with darker colors and a more “masculine” vibe which misleads people into self-justification of the price point. 

Some marketers position these products as luxury or premium quality products that assure a better quality or additional benefits that entails them to sell these at a higher price and creating a pseudo demand for these products resulting in a cycle of imposed taxes.

Even though we are in the 21st century, the beauty standards set by the society is an exponentially increasing graph. While more and more number of women find their voice and stand up against these societal conventions, a large number of them still fall prey to them. The scene from the movie “Detachment”, where Henry talks to his class about the beliefs fed by the powers at be that “you need to be pretty to be happy and you need surgery to be pretty” sums up what society looks like. With the pressure to maintain these standards women consequentially become less price-sensitive and turn a blind eye towards something as unfair as the pink tax. The narrative and propaganda that certain brands propagate increase a certain level of loyalty that women have towards these brands and hence opt into buying these goods even though cheaper alternatives are available. 

The pink tax has long imposed an economic burden on women around the world — especially since women continue to earn less than men. While some regions have attempted to introduce laws to prevent gender-based pricing discrimination, requiring retailers to offer the same prices for substantially similar products regardless of gender, it is important to spread awareness through media and advocacy campaigns for women all over the world to fight against such unjust practices. The status quo can change if we work on legislation and have more representation of aware and educated women in the government. 

To sum it up, it is essential that women are made conscious of choices of products they opt for everyday where a “pink and pretty packaging” doesn’t necessarily mean a better experience. These seemingly insignificant spends if calculated accumulates to a generous amount which can be put to better use any day. Thus, it is our responsibility to find a way to abolish pink tax and give ourselves an opportunity to build a more sustainable future.