Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw condemns 'Pink Tax' as a disgraceful gender bias. But what is it?

Women across the world are often made to pay more for some products which cost less for men. The phenomenon is informally called 'Pink Tax.'

Now,the chief of Indian pharma giant Biocoin Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw has strongly criticised Pink Tax, denouncing the gender-based pricing disparity faced by women.

Sharing a video X that highlighted the pricing disparity, the Biocon chief highlighted the exorbitant pricing of women's products in comparison to equivalent male products of the same size and quantity.

Encouraging women to boycott such items, she addresses the pervasive issue of gender-based price discrepancies, particularly in personal care products like soaps, lotions, razor blades and deodorants.

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Mazumdar-Shaw wrote, "Pink Tax! A shameful gender bias that women must respond to by shunning such products."

The post gained significant traction, amassing nearly 200,000 views within hours, with other users expressing support for her stance.

Commenting on the post, one user agreed with Mazumdar-Shaw and raised the dilemma of choosing between buying male products or abstaining from such purchases altogether.

Another user appreciated the entrepreneur for shedding light on the higher costs of women's products and hoped that more voices will join in advocating for the elimination of the pink tax.

What exactly is the Pink Tax?

The term Pink Tax does not denote an official government tax but rather signifies discriminatory pricing that artificially inflates the cost of goods marketed to women.

The issue gained attention in 2015 when New York City's Department of Consumer Affairs identified gendered pricing in 794 products.

Despite researchers addressing this phenomenon since the 1990s, the economic burden of the pink tax persists, disproportionately affecting women who continue to earn less than men.

As per the World Economic Forum, the economic burden on women arises from discriminatory pricing, given their ongoing lower earnings compared to men.

The United Nations has urged countries globally to implement measures to eradicate the pink tax, aiming to secure full and equal participation for women in the economy.

(With inputs from agencies)