The difference between products that are mainly aimed at a female audience means that women end up paying an average of 10.8% more for similar products than men.
MEXICO.- The wage gap between men and women is no secret, but another type of gender discrimination directly and disproportionately affects women around the world: the “pink taxman”.
Alejandra Collado of the pink tax declared that one of the main problems in the presentation and design of the products that asked girls and women is to increase the price. | pexels
Products like razors, toothbrushes, and even prescription medicine that are marketed to women tend to be priced higher, with no discernable reason other than the fact that they are pink.
The difference between the products that is mainly aimed at the female audience means that women end up paying an average of 10.8% more expensive similar products in relation to men, according to a study carried out by the consultancy Focus Market.
“This phenomenon began to be investigated in the United States, in New York City, in the 1990s and later in Europe. In Latin America we are pioneers in the study of the “pink tax”.
In general, the things investigated are good, although some services with a degree of difference are also to be considered”, explained Damián Di Pace, director of the company, consulted with this medium.
According to Gabriel Yorio, the undersecretary of finance, based on data from Unicef, in Mexico 43% of students stop attending school in their time because they do not have the means to pay for health care, which is equivalent to 20% of the school year.
This problem has consequences such as temporary or permanent school dropouts, health problems and loss of self-esteem. The education of young people is important because it allows them to have better opportunities in adult life and helps social equity”, Yorio posted on Twitter for this reason.
the way to equity
This is not the first time that the issue has come before Congress from the last Legislature, representatives and different groups such as Menstruación Digna México has advocated for a zero rate for menstrual management products.
“This tax mainly affects low-income women, since families in this situation invest up to six times more of their income to compare these products with higher-income households,” Menstruación Digna México added in a statement.
To this Alejandra Collado, researcher of the Center for Research and Gender Studies of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) added that these products do not have VAT as they are basic products for women.
Why were they not exempt from this tax? The people who govern these laws and regulations do not have this experience and bodily experience of menstruation, which is why they find it, as stated.
Collado mentioned that in Mexico there are about 63 million women of menstrual age and only four out of ten have access to products for these women.
It is important to understand that we need something to help us through this process, which is already very marked, the researcher emphasized.
Alejandra Collado of the pink tax declared that one of the main problems in the presentation and design of the products that asked girls and women is to increase the price.
