Written By: Tanisha Ray Choudhury
Edited by: Pruthvi & Namitha
A controversy of “Supposed Reality vs Basic economics” that is strenuous to understand, the Pink tax poses as pain, both to men and women. Women, because they supposedly have to pay more and men, because they have to face the fact that they are paying less due to supposed misogyny.
Or are they? The pink tax is a phenomenon that is considered as a form of gender-based price discrimination, based on the fact that women’s products which are usually pink often cost more than their- “for men”- colored counterparts for the exact same product. If one were to consider the economic side of the spectrum, then studies show that “gender-based price discrimination” is merely a technique that retailers and firms use to maximize profits. The aforementioned studies, conducted by The American Department of Economic Illiteracy show that “Out of the 10 items studied, only half had significantly higher prices for women, two had higher prices for men, and the others showed no difference.” It was such that, women paid higher prices for things like designer perfume, deodorants, and body sprays while men paid higher prices for shaving gel and non-disposable razors.
Additionally, “The Government Accountability Office said it couldn't find any evidence that gender bias played a role in these differences and that anyone who understands the basics of free-market economics could have told you that.” The value of any product depends on two major things:
1. The cost of the materials required to make it and
2. the value assigned to it by its users. The higher the need for the item, the higher the value for the item in the consumer's eyes.
In the beauty and fashion industry, women tend to put more value in these products, be it from societal pressure or likes and dislikes. Health products, such as tampons and pads are a necessity for the female population and hence are priced higher. In the same way that insulin is expensive despite being relatively inexpensive to produce, period products undergo the basic principle of economic exclusivity. Manufacturers can charge higher prices and increase profit margins because women will/must pay for them.
This is basic economics, however, is this morally sound? Now, while the basic concepts of free-market economics are clear enough, that does not give retailers an excuse to impose profit maximization techniques on things that are, essentially, necessary health products like laxative tablets, earplugs, and personal care kits. A similar argument can be brought up, regarding the “tampon tax” that only one-half of the global population pays, for something that is entirely biological. Nearly two-thirds of women in most countries can’t afford menstrual products, and it is a price assigned to something that only women use.
While it can of course be argued that it requires resources to make the aforementioned products, and hence a price should be assigned to it. It is vital to mention the notable effort by the Scottish parliament member, Monica Lennon, that finally came to fruition in 2020, that made all period products free in Scotland. For the sake of those two-thirds of the women population who can’t afford them, it is an initiative that should be considered by the rest of the world governments. Another Initiative is the “Let Clothes Be Clothes”, which is a grassroots campaign established in 2014 by writer Francesca Mallen.
It advocates choice, calling on retailers in the UK to end the design and marketing of children’s wear, shoes, and accessories based around outdated gender stereotypes, which is another notable goal that should be taken into consideration. At the crux of it, both ends of the spectrum; the economic as well as the experience base, contribute to what the pink tax is. It is real in some cases and a profitable economy in others. But the fact is that the experience-based understanding does count as gender discrimination, the only way to eradicate this would be by taking steps like those taken by Francesca Mallen and Monica Lennon.
Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Market_(economics) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pink_tax#:~:text=The%20pink%20tax%20is%20a%20phenome
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