Dr Oz: Have You Heard Of The Pink Tax?
After conducting an experiment on gourmet versus cheap coffee, Dr Oz wanted to conduct another experiment to find out whether women are really paying more than men for the same products. Dr Oz held up two razors, one pink and one blue. He then explained that they look the exact same minus the color and work the same way, yet the pink one costs almost a dollar more. Why? It’s called the pink tax and it’s a ploy used by retailers to target women and make more money.
Jeff Rossen set out to find out the truth. He took a closer look at shampoo, deodorant, shaving cream, and razors. Many people may not notice the price difference right away, because the products are displayed separately it’s harder to compare the prices, but there’s no denying that the pink tax exists.
Dr Oz: Women Paying More Than Men For Same Products
Have you ever heard of the pink tax? What would you do if you learned women were paying more than men for the same products? (148415908@N03 / Flickr)
Jeff and his producer, a woman, went to Target to shop for the same products made from the same companies, each targeted to their specific gender. Shaving gel for women cost $0.10 more and 2 in 1 shampoo and conditioner cost nearly $1 more. Target claimed that “prices can vary” and the shaving creams have “different formulas” with the women’s ingredients costing more.
Dove deodorant also cost nearly a $1 more for the women’s version. Twin packs of Degree deodorant with the same active ingredient cost $4 more for the women’s version! Brands recognize that women will pay more to look and feel good, which is why they charge them more. Unilever claimed the only reason for the price difference was that the deodorant came from “different product lines” with “different technologies.”
Dr Oz: Why Do Women Pay More For Dry Cleaning?
It turns out that women actually tend to pay twice as much as men at the dry cleaner as well! When asked why, a woman working at the dry cleaner claimed that the men’s shirt can be machine-pressed but a woman’s shirt doesn’t fit on the machine and has to be pressed by hand.
The Department of Consumer Affairs in New York City said they actually analyzed men’s and women’s products in a recent study. It was found that women not only make less than women in the work force and get paid less for the same work, but the pink tax is a lifelong problem.
Dr Oz: How Can You Fight The Pink Tax?
When you look at men’s versus women’s shampoo outside of the bottle, the only difference is the color. They feel almost identical and contain the same ingredients, yet the packaging and pricing was different.
Dr Oz had two women unknowingly try men’s deodorant for a week to see if they would notice a difference. They used deodorant without a label and then joined Dr Oz to share how they felt about the unscented product. They acknowledged that it worked well for them and would easily use it again, especially knowing that it was cheaper. Women, go ahead and buy men’s products because it’s the same for cheaper!
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