Women charged more on ‘sexist’ high street

Scarinae

“High street stores are charging women up to twice as much as men for practically identical products, an investigation by The Times has found.”

Unfortunately The Times has a paywall but various other media outlets have picked up on it – here’s a Guardian article about it.

I’ve noticed the price discrepancy myself in products such as razor blades and deodorant, but there are loads of other examples such as jeans, football boots, kids' bicycles etc. According to the study by The Times, the prices are approximately 37% higher on average for products aimed at females.

It’s not just a UK thing either – a report on gender pricing in New York City was released last month. This report found that women’s products cost on average 7% more than similar products for men.

Have you ever noticed prices being higher for women's products? Apparently a lot of the retailers are saying that the female versions of products cost more because they have extra features, but a lot of the time the difference just seems to be the colour. Razor blades, for example, are generally pretty much the same except that the ladies' version often has a pointless 'moisturising strip' - I usually buy razor blades for men if there's a price difference.

IvyTheTerrible

Scarinae wrote: »

“High street stores are charging women up to twice as much as men for practically identical products, an investigation by The Times has found.”

Unfortunately The Times has a paywall but various other media outlets have picked up on it – here’s a Guardian article about it.

I’ve noticed the price discrepancy myself in products such as razor blades and deodorant, but there are loads of other examples such as jeans, football boots, kids' bicycles etc. According to the study by The Times, the prices are approximately 37% higher on average for products aimed at females.

It’s not just a UK thing either – a report on gender pricing in New York City was released last month. This report found that women’s products cost on average 7% more than similar products for men.

Have you ever noticed prices being higher for women's products? Apparently a lot of the retailers are saying that the female versions of products cost more because they have extra features, but a lot of the time the difference just seems to be the colour. Razor blades, for example, are generally pretty much the same except that the ladies' version often has a pointless 'moisturising strip' - I usually buy razor blades for men if there's a price difference.

I've definitely noticed it. (And on the razor blades, often the men's blades have the moisturising strip, often the only difference is the colour).
However, it can sometimes work both ways: apparently condoms in vending machines are more expensive in men's toilets than women's!

Addle

The price discrepancy is obvious.
It didn't need to be pointed out with an investigation!

I'm a fool for buying beauty products.
Why wouldn't the industry take advantage of gullible people like me?

The only thing that bothers me about the cost of some products is the vat rate on feminine hygiene products.

IvyTheTerrible

Addle wrote: »

The price discrepancy is obvious.
It didn't need to be pointed out with an investigation!

I'm a fool for buying beauty products.
Why wouldn't the industry take advantage of gullible people like me?

The only thing that bothers me about the cost of some products is the vat rate on feminine hygiene products.

There has been a campaign for several years over here in France to reduce the vat rate on feminine hygiene products, which was finally successful recently. The only problem is that the supermarkets have not reduced prices accordingly. I was very disappointed about that.

Pat Mustard

IvyTheTerrible wrote: »

I've definitely noticed it. (And on the razor blades, often the men's blades have the moisturising strip, often the only difference is the colour).

Definitely.

If you look at Tesco.ie, the cheapest women's razor blade product is a packet of 8 Bic disposable twin razors for €3.65. Rounding up, let's call it 46c per blade.

Although there are several cheaper men's razor blade products, the most comparable men's razor blade product is a packet of 10 Bic disposable twin razors for €2.75. Rounding up, let's call it 28c per blade.

In this case, for essentially the same product, the price which is aimed at women is 64.3% higher than the price of a comparable men's product.

Obviously, just one example cannot prove the point. However, if checked, I'm fairly confident that the prices of other shaving products bear out the same facts.

meeeeh

I could be wrong but I think that women are prepared to pay more for beauty products and secondly I think that men are more sensitive regarding price and type of razor blades because they use them more. What annoys me more is that men are getting significantly better quality razors for less money (although I'm not sure that top end Gillette are cheaper for men). Razors for women are just a marketing trick, and inferior quality in pink wrapping.

But there is definitely a difference. At one stage my brother and I had exactly the same hairstyle and I think he was paying about half of what I was paying in the same salon. That was decades ago when I didn't need to dye my hair.

Addle

I buy men's razors anyways 👍🏻

Dial Hard

It's known as the Pink Tax and it's well documented.

If women are prepared to pay a premium for a "girly" version of a product that functions perfectly in its neutral state, then they're paying for their own stupidity, imo.

However, as has already been pointed out above, being charged VAT at the "luxury" rate of 23% on things like tampons and sanitary towels is a joke.

silverharp

Dial Hard wrote: »

However, as has already been pointed out above, being charged VAT at the "luxury" rate of 23% on things like tampons and sanitary towels is a joke.

sanitary products are zero rated in ireland.

http://www.revenue.ie/en/tax/vat/rates/decision-detail-04004.jsp

Sanitary tampons and panty liners also Zero rated.

meeeeh

Anyway no-one is completely rational in their purchases. Some times we like some overpriced pampering, sometimes design quirks or whatever. The oh and I use Fusion razors which are just about the most expensive mainstream razors and probably don't justify its price with quality. Perfumes are another prime example. Make up has huge margins. There are products that men are prepared to spend premium on things like sports items or car accessories. The problem is when the advertising is misleading like in the case of razors because the ones aimed at women are just terrible.

Dial Hard

silverharp wrote:

sanitary products are zero rated in ireland.

So they are, I stand corrected. I was sure they were VAT liable.

Shows you how often I actually buy them. Thank you, wondrous Pill!

Addle

silverharp wrote: »

sanitary products are zero rated in ireland.

http://www.revenue.ie/en/tax/vat/rates/decision-detail-04004.jsp

Thanks. I wasn't aware that policy had changed.