12p for 8 'mens' razors, 28p for 4 identical 'women's razors

[Leafmould]

Only difference is men's are orange, women's are pink. This is wilkinson btw.is there a website where we can report this kind of crap?

[MousyMouse]

ridiculous isn't it.
I just buy the men's...

[Childrenofthestones]

Now with that sort of short cutting common sense we'll never get anywhere will we?

[5madthings]

I think its also partly to do with the fact that means razors don't have vat on them....

[Childrenofthestones]

Is that a Freudian slip about the man in your life?

[MousyMouse]

5mad
agree that is madness.
maybe we should have a campain to remove tax from essential female items like sanitary towels and tampons and mooncups...

[5madthings]

That should say men's...

But I agree its bloody disgraceful, men's razors have no vat but tampax etc do, tho it has been reduced to 5% apparently.

But male razors are essential... Unlike razor for women and sanitary protection

[Leafmould]

What? Women's razors have vat on them? Bonkers. Razors are razors. (I did buy the men's ones) it seems so trivial, especially in Wilko's where it's pennies, and 8 well last me for ages.... Sanitary protection is a much more important issue.... I just don't get why razors have to be gender specific. And shaving your beard off is definately more of a luxury than dealing with menstruation......... Rant rant rant

[nannynick]

Looking at blades from King of Shaves (Queen of Shaves), there appears to be a difference between blades for men and blades for women.

Azor 4-blade Endurium coated Replacement Cartridges for Men.

Azor 4-blade Endurium coated Replacement Cartridges for women.

Look at the ingredients - the version for women has a bottom strip as well as top strip. The version for men only has the top strip.

So difference in cost is... nothing, they are the same price.
So in KoS case, women get a bit of better deal I suppose as they get a blade cartridge that has top and bottom smoothing strips (or whatever they are called). Maybe I should switch to using the womens razor cartridges.

I guess razors are like other products in the cosmetic industry, they are targeted at specific genders although in many cases they could be used by both. In the same way that Waitrose Bottom Butter can be used elsewhere on the body!

[TheCrackFox]

Is there really no VAT on men's razors? Seems a bit unfair.

[HairyLittleCarrot]

hang on...
there is no VAT on men:s razors
but VAT on women's razors? What is the legal distinction between them? How does one differentiate?

And VAT on sanitary products? what????
I'm really hoping there is some equality campaign addressing this that I can support. Anyone know of anything?

[freta]

'Fraid I sussed this one out years ago. Since then i've always bought mens'. Never mind disposables, womens' razors are comparable in cost to blokes', as are the blades.......BUT the mens' blades last about 10 times longer.

I think manufacturers are exploiting the reasoning that they think women are more likely to cough up on such personal grooming items.

In my mind it's a rip-off that needs exposing and stopping. Or just do as I do - boycott the ladeez products (unless you're stupid and particularly bothered about pretty pink everythng!)

[LemonBreeland]

I use Gillette razor blades and always buy the mens onesy that fit on my razor.

Would be interested to see the argument on VAT.

[sashh]

Check out the cotton wool, cotton buds etc next time you are in the supermarket.

Quite often they are cheaper from the baby isle

[specialsubject]

you can buy the same thing in different shops for widely different prices. You just need to have enough time and be smart enough to shop around.

if people didn't buy the women's razors they would stop selling them. Turning a profit from the gullible is not illegal.

[BeCool]

They aren't really 'men's razors' and 'woman's razors' though are they. Just words on the packaging wrapped around razors.

Use your brain, compare prices, and buy the less expensive. Think of the product and ignore the annoying marketing! Don't let yourself be played by Bic and co.

[MaryMotherOfCheeses]

I have to buy the pink ones.

It's the only way i can stop my husband using my razor... [cross]

[Meringue33]

If they really are identical bar packaging, surely there is a discrimination case to be made?

[GoblinGranny]

I'm probably being thick, but how is that discrimination? You are given the choice of which to buy, equally.
The only women it seems to discriminate against are those programmed into thinking that if it's for a girl, it Must Be Pink. No other colour acceptable.
However, if there is no VAT on men's razors and VAT is due on women's razors, that is discrimination, does anyone know the truth? Were they made VAT free in 2001, and are they still?

[scaevola]

VAT is governed by EU regulation, and sanpro is on reduced rate.

There is no difference between how razors are treated, regardless of whether marketed for women or men.

It's marketing, and charging the highest price they think will sell. Wrapped up in "not me guv" when called on discriminatory practices, in the hope that like Elf and Safety, people will believe anything of the VAT regime.

[scaevola]

HMRC list of goods and services currently exempt from VAT or at a reduced rate Razors are nowhere on this list.