Pink Tax: Understand why women pay more for products and services

THE Pink Tax It is a subject that has been generating controversy for some time, and the popularization of discussions about gender equality is what justifies all of this.

The complaint regarding this issue is that, allegedly, the industry applies excess values to feminine products, taking advantage of the commercial appeal of packaging and needs that ultimately do not exist.

So, if you've ever felt outraged by seeing women's products cost double or triple the price, keep reading to hear the complaints of those who face the same dissatisfaction. 

What is the Pink Tax?

You've certainly heard the phrase "being a woman is expensive," and you've probably thought that this thought reflects the vanity commonly associated with women.

However, nowadays, associating vanity only with women is a mistake, as many men rely on self-care as a guarantee of personal and social well-being.

So why does it still cost so much to be a woman? If men are also investing in their own beauty, this argument should no longer make sense, right?

The fact is that the real problem with the costs of being a woman lies in the values applied to products and services focused on the female public, which tend to cost much more.

In this case, we are talking about the Pink Tax, a controversial topic amid discussions about gender equality.

When we talk about Pink Tax, we refer to a social phenomenon in which feminine products cost more due to their appeal to the target audience.

Therefore, flashy packaging and promises appealing to the female audience are frequent resources for applying higher prices.

Can the Pink Tax be considered illegal?

The Pink Tax issue is controversial and will likely remain so for many years, as there is no obvious solution to the problem.

This is because, despite its name, the Pink Tax is not a tax in itself, as there are no taxes or fees of this type.

Basically, this term refers to the “freedom” of industries to charge more for women’s products and services, just because they are feminine.

For this reason, this charge is not considered illegal, as no company directly justifies the higher price because it is a feminine product.

In general, companies rely on “differentiators,” such as specific active ingredients or even beauty effects, to indirectly justify the higher price.

For this reason, as, in principle, the charge is not based on gender discrimination, there is no illegality.

However, we can consider this to be bad faith conduct, as the brand increases its prices for appealing and unjustified reasons.

In any case, no company necessarily needs to justify the values it places on its products.

And, if you want to do this, you can use several reasons such as raw material, positioning, among others, that help you “escape” the Pink Tax complaints.

Therefore, it is up to the consumer to check their conduct and adopt consumption habits to avoid paying more for dishonest appeals.

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Examples of products and services that carry the Pink Tax

When we talk about Pink Tax, some people may think it doesn't make much sense, after all, there are expensive and cheap products for women and men.

However, there are some categories of products and services where it is easy to notice this additional charge for appeals, and we will see 3 examples now.

Razors and hair removal blades 

Female body shaving razors became popular a few years ago, as previously there was no gender differentiation in the product.

It turns out that the industry saw an opportunity to offer a specific product for this audience, justifying that it is “gentler on the skin” than common blades.

The big problem is that these women's razors tend to cost a lot more, and in the end, they don't deliver much of a difference when compared to a regular, high-quality razor.

We can consider this to be an example of Pink Tax, since it uses an appeal that is sometimes unjustified, after all, men's facial skin is also sensitive, so wouldn't it be enough to use a common razor for sensitive skin?

Facial moisturizers and cosmetics 

Go to a drugstore in search of facial moisturizers and notice the multitude of options there are for women, and how many there are for men.

In general, facial cosmetics with “feminine” packaging cost more than products with neutral packaging, and are infinitely more expensive than products aimed directly at men.

The simple fact that there are countless facial products for women, while men's products tend to be 3 in 1 or even 10 in 1 already demonstrates the point we are trying to make.

In this sector, attractive packaging and ambitious promises are common strategies for applying the Pink Tax.

Driving school

Compare the prices of a driving school for women and a driving school for those with a license and you'll see the Pink Tax in action.

Services focused on women tend to cost much more, and the justification is that the care is more careful and patient. 

Theoretically, everyone should be served with patience and cordiality, so offering a service to women with this appeal may seem a little strange.

In this case, it is not a criticism of the service, but it serves to observe how this issue of charging more for something using “female pains” as justification works.

Tips to avoid the Pink Tax

As we saw previously, the Pink Tax is a subtle problem, but it is important to treat it seriously as it can lead to economic losses.

This is because women end up paying more for products and services that are very similar to common ones, but that have themed packaging or appealing approaches.

So, if you don't want to lose money by paying higher prices for products and services that perform similarly to traditional options, here are some tips to avoid the Pink Tax.

1. Evaluate product quality and performance, not gender

Many women report that they dislike the female razor blade because its softness makes the hair removal process time-consuming and tiring. Therefore, they prefer to use a conventional razor, which is more efficient.

This is a good example of how to avoid the Pink Tax: evaluate products based on quality and performance, and don't rely on gender appeals.

2. Avoid buying based on packaging 

We all buy products based on their packaging, but manufacturers invest heavily in packaging for women's products, precisely to encourage customers to choose.

Therefore, if you want to avoid the Pink Tax, prioritize good quality products, not those with the most flashy packaging.

3. Know your body and its needs before consuming any product or service. 

Do you really need a dedicated driving school for women, or would a service focused on encouraging driving lessons work?

To avoid the Pink Tax, we recommend that you choose your products and services based on what you really need, and not on promises from companies that are focused on selling at the highest possible price.

Remember that a good marketing strategy is precisely to use the target audience's "pains" to convince them, so understand yours before getting carried away by appealing speeches and advertisements.

Finally, avoiding the Pink Tax is essential for financial preservation, since paying more for products and services just because they are feminine does not make economic sense.

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