The Pink Tax: Why Women Pay More
- malikadiwakar
- 4 days ago
- 2 min read
Have you ever wondered why the women's razors cost more than men's razors – even though they perform the same functions? Or why that bottle of moisturizer aimed specifically for women's skin is 2x more expensive than the men's moisturizer – despite having the same ingredients and formula?
Welcome to the pink tax: a hidden gender-based pricing practice where products and services marketed towards women cost more than similar versions for men.
📊 Let's look at what the data has to say:
The pre-existing gender pay gap: Women earn 83 cents for every dollar that a man earns (source: AAUW).
Women's products cost around 7% more than similar men's products on average – with personal care products costing up to 13% more (source: NYC DCA) .
Annually, on average, women spend $2,381 more than men for the same (or similar) goods and services (source: report from California).
🤔 So... Why does this "pink tax" exist?
The pink tax isn’t enforced by the government, it’s a marketing behaviour and pricing strategy adopted by firms. Over time, companies have realized that:
They can use pretty colours, feminine scents, and fancy packaging to differentiate women's products and justify the higher price.
Women are often willing to pay slightly more for products marketed as “premium”, "gentle", or “specialized” (even if they’re identical to men’s products).
In case you're wondering, this is not firms being sexist. The pink tax is a pricing structure that systematically disadvantages one gender more than the other. Think of it like a corporate math equation:
Pink packaging + gendered marketing = extra revenue
🙅🏻♀️ The “Unavoidable” Cost: Female Hygiene Products
And then there are costs that women can't opt out of. Unlike pink razors and scented shampoo, menstrual products are not a choice for women – they're a biological necessity.
Over a woman's lifetime, she ends up spending around $20 on menstrual hygiene products per cycle. This can add up to $18k over her lifetime (source: Drexel University College of Medicine).
These expenses are exclusive to women, as there is no male-equivalent cost.
For years, many countries (and U.S. states) even taxed menstrual products as non-essential goods, despite their necessity.
In short: women don’t just pay more, they have to buy more.
🧠 Why This Matters
The pink tax systematically drains women’s disposable income by making everyday and essential goods cost more. In addition to the gender pay gap and unavoidable expenses, these higher prices compound over time and shrink savings, investment, and financial security. This is not just a social or consumer issue, it's indicative of structural economic inefficiency.
💬 If you’re interested in deeper insights on such topics, get in touch with Algorithm Research here.
