You might want to buy that present in blue rather than pink.
Last week, the Department of Consumer Affairs released the results of their first study on gender pricing disparity in New York and found that women's products cost an average of seven per cent more than men's.
“Gender discrimination is never acceptable," said Mayor Bill De Blasio, "and when we know that women continue to make less than men every year, the findings of this study are insult to injury for female consumers.”
The study, titled “From Cradle to Cane: The Cost of Being a Female Consumer,” compared nearly 800 products across 35 different categories—clothing, accessories etc.—from more than 90 brands. The discrepancy ranged from 4 per cent more for children's clothing to 13 per cent more (!) for personal care products.
The study also found that the women’s products were priced higher almost half the time (42 per cent) and the majority of the time this was not due to discrepancies like ingredients.
In the wake of these findings, the mayor, who established a Commission on Gender Equity in June, stated he was "placing pressure on retailers to correct their gendered pricing practices."
Forbes revealed in 2012 that the so-called "woman tax" results in women paying about $1,400 more than men a year for their purchases. This despite the fact that, in 2013, the U.S. Census Bureau found that the average woman working full time in the U.S. earned 22 per cent less than men.
OK, now back to shopping (you'll find us in the men's section from now on)!
Previously published at W Dish
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