Boots drops prices on female-focused razors, eye cream and other products that cost women more than men
Boots has caved into pressure from MPs, cutting prices on products that forced women to pay more than men.
The high-street chain has changed the price tags on own-brand disposable razors and Botanics eye roll-on, after an online petition gathered more than 40,000 signatures.
The Change.org campaign claimed women were being ripped off on the high street as they paid extra for similar products.
It said Boots charged women £9.99 for eye cream while men paid just £7.29. And an eight-pack of women’s razors cost £2.29, while men were charged just £1.49 for 10.
A Boots UK spokesperson said it had reviewed all its ranges and the two products were exceptional cases which did not meet the company’s principles.
Its website now shows the price of eight razors has almost halved to £1.15.
The women’s eye-roll has come down but is still more expensive than the male version – though it is a bigger pack.
The retailer is also speaking to its suppliers to ask them to review their own brands in a similar way.
“We have never operated a pricing system that discriminates against women so we were surprised and disappointed to see recent examples in the press that did not reflect our own standards,” Boots said.
Members of Parliament debated sexist pricing on Tuesday.
Maria Miller, who chairs the Women and Equalities Select Committee, said gender-biased pricing was “a form of sexist discrimination hiding in plain sight.”
But she said it was good to see "some responsible retailers" taking the issue seriously.
Women’s rights charity The Fawcett Society supported the petition and also welcomed the decision.
Chief executive Sam Smethers said it was retailers, not manufacturers, who were responsible for discrimination.
“The claim that the price difference is because products marketed at women cost more to make is simply not holding up.”