BEIJING, China – Li Yi, a 22-year-old college student in southern China’s Guangdong province, loves the color pink. However, she recently hesitated to buy a pair of pink dumbbells when she noticed they were priced at 90 yuan ($12.50), while the regular black ones were only 40 yuan ($5.60).

Li is among many women in China who have observed that goods and services marketed to women often come with higher prices. This trend, known as the “pink tax,” has gained momentum in China’s feminist movement, with the hashtag #PinkTax attracting millions of views on social platforms.

The “pink tax” encompasses a broader range of discrimination against female consumers than just the color of products. For example, there is widespread opposition to the cost of menstrual products in China, where female advocates have urged the government to drop a 13% tax on these items, arguing that they should be considered basic necessities.

The movement against the “pink tax” has also coincided with a slower-than-expected economic recovery in China since the lifting of Covid-19 restrictions. As a result, Chinese consumers have become more considerate about their expenditures, according to Nancy Qian, an economics professor at Northwestern University.

The pushback against the “pink tax” comes at a time when China’s feminist movement is gaining strength, with more women entering the workforce. However, the government’s traditional stance, driven by concerns about the country’s record-low birthrate, presents additional challenges to advocates of gender equality.

Some women in China, like Li, already face added costs related to deeply rooted gender biases. Sun Xin, a senior lecturer in Chinese and East Asian business at King’s College London, notes that women are often judged by their appearance and feel compelled to spend more on products like cosmetics, which are considered “almost necessities” due to societal pressures.

As a result, some consumers are calling for boycotts against retailers that charge women more for essentially the same products men buy. This movement has gained traction, with some women vowing not to contribute to brands that deceive or mistreat women.

In conclusion, the movement against the “pink tax” in China is growing stronger, with advocates urging the government to address gender-based pricing disparities and the unequal treatment of female consumers. The conversation surrounding the “pink tax” reflects broader efforts to promote gender equality and fairness in the world of consumer goods and services.