From The BBC
2nd Jan 2017
Supermarket chain Tesco has cut the price of women's disposable razors to match that of a similar product for men. The move is a victory for campaigners who demanded an end to what they saw as sexist pricing on the high street. Last year campaigners highlighted the higher price of many toiletries marketed at women compared to the lower price of similar goods for men. All of the big four supermarkets were criticised.
In a letter to the Labour MP Paula Sherriff, Tesco said: "Following an internal review and discussions with our suppliers, we have acted on concerns about the difference in price of our female and male disposable twin-blade razors". Tesco said the previous price disparity was driven by the fact that men's razors were produced and sold in significantly higher volumes, which reduced the price it paid for them. A Tesco spokesman told the BBC: "We are guided by doing what is right for our customers and by our commitment to offering clear, competitive and transparent pricing".
A newspaper investigation last year claimed women and girls were charged, on average, 37% more for clothes, beauty products and toys. Research by the Fawcett Society in July 2016 looked at a basket of supermarket own-brand products including triple-blade disposable razors, shaving cream, spray-on antiperspirant deodorant and body spray. The Society said the "sexist pricing" for products varied widely, ranging from 22% more in Asda to 56% more in Morrisons.
Last year, Boots reduced the price of "feminine" razors to bring them in line with male equivalents. MP Paula Sherriff said on Twitter that campaigners were "chipping away at gender pricing bit by bit" and warned other stores they needed to act as well. "Watch out retailers, I'm onto you!" she tweeted.
[Little steps and all that. OK, microscopic steps but still, it’s something I suppose. Even I have noticed that women generally pay more for ‘female’ products than men do for theirs without any obvious reason. Don’t get me started on the prices women pay for haircuts! What surprises me more is that most women seem to shrug their shoulders and are unconcerned at the fact that they are being ripped off on a daily basis. Equal prices for equal products I say!]
7 comments:
Just because the reason isn't obvious doesn't mean there wasn't one besides "sexism". Does anyone seriously believe there's this board of guys puffing cigars going, "Bah, the women are being insolent. We should keep their razor prices higher to keep them in their place."? Sounds like BS pr stunting to me.
Personally if I saw that my razors (or other products) where more expensive than a male equivalent I'd buy that instead. It does make me wonder why pink razors are more expensive than blue ones though....
Maybe price differentials would be more acceptable if, when asked, manufacturers produced good reasons for it? Hair cuts are a prime example. If I get my hair cut in the same barbers, by the same person and it takes the same length of time to do so - why is cutting a woman's hair at least 2-3 times more expensive? No one has yet been able to explain that to me....
there's no morality or civilized behavior in capitalism: the almighty dollar rules, regardless of what's "right"... inevitably leading to the destruction of the planet, imo... actually, i just think any system is bad; the main problem is overpopulation...
I've never been into a unisex barbershop like Supercuts where everyone's hair is cut, so I don't know if they have the same prices. However, I do know that at my barbershop -- a men's barbershop with fish on the wall -- there are different prices for different cuts depending on the elaboration. My best friend, who is black, also pays more for his hair at a "black" barbershop because there's a lot involved, apparently. (I don't know the particulars; I prefer not to treat my friends like anthropology projects and so didn't inquire!) He just started keeping his head completely shaved to save money. Given how different men and women's hair is -- and especially given how much more attentive women are to their hair in general than are men -- I'm not surprised if women's haircuts cost more. My trim cost me $9; there is no blowing, chemicals, styling, etc. involved. Now, if a tomboy with short hair in a mannish style were to sit in a barber's chair and get a regular trim, and was billed differently than the man, I'd say...yeah, something's weird there.
@ Mudpuddle: Yup, Capitalism + Overpopulation = [Insert REALLY unpleasant image here]
@ Stephen: I've mostly gone unisex because that's how it normally is here. Single sex hairdressers are quite rare - either at the top end of the female market or at the bottom end of the male market. I've seen a woman in the next chair over having a slight trim around the edges - dry cut etc - paying more than me having a full cut. There *is* something weird there (at least in my experience in UK hairdressers).
Indeed!
(I'm not sure how popular unisex barbershops are in the US generally, but I definitely subscribe to the low end of the male market..all of my barbershops attract men in flannel and denim who talk of nothing but cotton/soybean prices, rain, and which season it is -- football or baseball, turkey or deer.)
It has irritated me that I earn less then a man, but have to pay more for basically the same product. Another thing that irritates me is manufacturers throwing Lyrca in women's clothes so that clothes are stretchy and clingy. I grew up wearing all cotton jeans that wore nicely and softly over the years. You can't get 100% cotton jeans for women, so I now where men's jeans. Not only do I get better quality jeans that wear well over the years, but I can get a better fit because men's jeans are cutom waist and length, wome's are not.
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