Business
Bonta Pushes for Gender Equity in Consumer Good Prices
Attorney General Rob Bonta issued a consumer alert reminding residents to know their rights under Assembly Bill 1287 for Women’s Equality Day on August 26.
State law prohibits businesses from charging different prices for substantially similar goods based on the gender of the product’s target audience. The law protects consumers from the “pink tax,” a label used to describe the practice of charging women higher prices than men for the same or similar goods.
By Bo Tefu, California Black Media
Attorney General Rob Bonta issued a consumer alert reminding residents to know their rights under Assembly Bill 1287 for Women’s Equality Day on August 26.
State law prohibits businesses from charging different prices for substantially similar goods based on the gender of the product’s target audience. The law protects consumers from the “pink tax,” a label used to describe the practice of charging women higher prices than men for the same or similar goods.
According to consumer data, products marketed to women cost 7% more than those marketed to men. The average cost of personal products is 13% higher for women compared to men. The bill authored by Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan (D-Orinda) was enacted to prevent gender-based price differences that violate the law.
Bonta condemned the pink tax and encouraged consumers to report businesses that have violated this law.
“The Pink Tax is a sexist practice that is illegal in California. Women, especially Black and Latinx women, are paid less than their White, male counterparts in the same roles, yet have to spend more than men to buy very similar products,” said Bonta.
“California consumers have the right to shop without fear of discrimination,” he said.
Bauer-Kahan stated that the majority of products are gender -targeted. With this law, the state is working to close the unnecessary and burdensome gaps of gendered pricing to promote gender equality.
“It has been two years since the passage of AB 1287, and it is very exciting to see the work Attorney General Bonta is doing to guarantee consumers rights under California’s Pink Tax Law. Unequal prices for women translate to impacts for their own financial well-being as well as that of their families. This also exacerbates the already-existing gender gap in financial inequality,” she said.
The bill is supported by the California Commission on the Status of Women and Girls which cosponsored AB 1287. Since the passing of the pink tax law, supporters of the bill argued that unequal pricing translates into unjust and harmful financial impacts for women and girls given the issue of gender pay gaps. The practice of pink tax further widens wealth inequality by disproportionally affecting women of color statewide.
