By Yenuli Ranaweera
Being a woman is not easy. We are constantly expected to adhere to contradictions. Our dresses our both too long and too short. We are repeatedly reduced to gendered stereotypes and so gendered roles. To top it all off there is a burden of financial cost that seems to be applied on the very fact that we are women. This is, of course, the Pink Tax. Pink Tax is a term coined to describe the phenomenon of charging higher prices for products and services marketed towards women. Despite the apparent strides made towards gender equality, this is still a prevalent issue that affects women across the world. And of course, women in Sri Lanka.
First, let’s understand this Pink Tax. Of course it is not a tax in the traditional sense that it would show on a tax file. Rather, it is an unseen hidden tax in the form of higher prices on most products and services that are catered towards women. This thrives on the ignorance that such a tax actually exists. In the current capitalist market, the sole purpose of most companies is to make a profit . This means that when they believe that women would be willing to pay extra for a product, they do not hesitate to make that happen. Essentially, this is based on the belief that women are less price sensitive. Of course these differences in prices, and higher prices imposed on even the most essential items, results in a significant reduction in opportunities and services for women and deepens the already prevalent inequalities not only across genders but also across economic status.
A key reason for the existence of the pink tax is the societal expectations placed on women. The expectation to look a certain way and therefore the need to invest in more expensive products for a “higher return”. The media perpetuates this ideal beauty standard and that is embraced by the patriarchy, which then expects women to adhere to it or risk be considered undesirable or lazy. Women are forced to turn a blind eye to their bank balance in favour of appearing as feminine as possible, within the prescribed ways in which women are deemed socially acceptable.
The Pink Tax can be seen in many goods and services in the market. From clothes, razors, shampoo etc to even toys. For an obvious example, take our clothes. Some argue that the materials, the techniques the finishes and such used in women’s clothing is more expensive leading it to be have a higher price tag. The gender based price discrimination is present from the point of purchasing raw materials. In the USA women’s clothing imports are taxed at a higher rate than that of men’s – 15.1% vs 11.9%. If you were to go to a supermarket in Sri Lanka, you will see that razors marketed towards women are priced higher than those marketed towards men. Same plastic. Perhaps less blades. But still costs more. This is true for body lotions, deodorants, and most cosmetic products. The sad fact is this concept that being a woman necessarily means paying higher prices for certain goods is ingrained in us from childhood – In the USA a Paw Patrol bike helmet is $25.49 in pink – generally marketed for little girls. The same helmet is $5 less in blue – generally marketed to boys.
Another form of Pink Tax is call the Tampon Tax. This is the value added tax or sales tax added to the price of goods and services employed specifically by women. This can be seen in the tax imposed on sanitary products for women. Unless there is a medical condition, all women menstruate for a certain period of their lives. This is not something we choose or something we can control. This happens. It is a biological function. And every woman knows the exorbitant prices of sanitary products at present.
Let us consider the Sri Lankan context. In Sri Lanka the tax imposed on sanitary products is currently at 51.07%. While sanitary napkins were exempted from VAT (value added tax) this was short lived with the implementation of the VAT amendments in 2023. It is also baffling that para tariffs (PAL and CESS) have applied to menstrual products throughout even though items such as firearms, aircrafts and even clothing are exempted. As of 2024, the average price of a sanitary napkin packet is Rs300. This is more than a 90% price increase from 2021. According to a study done by the Advocata Institute in 2016 the absolute period poverty rate was 50%. That is to say that roughly half of the households do not include sanitary napkins in their household expenditure. Considering that this was prior to the COVID-19 pandemic the situation has undoubtedly worsened. The COVID-19 pandemic, coupled with the economic crisis the country underwent means that more Sri Lankans now live in poverty than before. A large portion of this population are women and girls who require these sanitary products. In Sri Lanka alone there are many girls who are of schooling age that miss school on the days they get their period due to lack of access to sanitary products. To be punished with high prices on items that we absolutely need due to our biology seems extremely and inexplicably unfair.
The sad reality is that while the companies may profit off this unseen tax, it affects the finances of women across the world. The World Economic Forum states that on average products marketed towards women are 13% more expensive. However only 5 out of the 146 countries have managed scores higher than 0.8 (with 1.0 meaning full wage parity) when it comes to closing the wage gap. That means that not only are we paid less but we are also expected to spend more! Period poverty affects women and girls to the point that it disrupts our education, and threatens our health. It also affects us socially and emotionally.
What must be done is clear. The Pink Tax must be eliminated. This is a product of gender discrimination and gendered capitalism. So what can we do to overcome this? Addressing the pink tax requires advocacy and raising awareness about the issue. This should start in our schools, in teaching reproductive health, and making sure students understand what discrimination is and how to stand up for themselves. Activist groups and the media can play a crucial role in shedding light on these gender based pricing disparities. By informing the public and encouraging discussion, steps can be taken to dismantle these unjust practices. It is also the duty of the governments to contribute to combatting the Pink Tax through legislative measures.
But don’t holf your breath and wait it to happen. Begin by learning more and speaking out.