Boots to change cost of razors and eye cream after 'sexist pricing' petition

Updated

Boots has responded to pressure over "sexist pricing" of products by changing the cost of its razors and eye cream.

The retailer made the pledge after a Change.org petition raised concerns about the disparity between equivalent men's and women's toiletries.

The petition by Stevie Wise revealed that Boots eye cream was £9.99 for women and £7.29 for men while razors were £2.29 for eight women's razors and £1.49 for a pack of 10 for men.

She called on Boots chief executive Simon Roberts to "review your sexist pricing".

Her petition got 41,790 supporters.

In a statement on the Boots website, the company said it had never operated a pricing system that discriminated against women "so we were surprised and disappointed to see recent examples in the press that did not reflect our own standards".

It said: "We immediately conducted a review on all Boots own brand and proprietary ranges to better understand the cited examples. This review has reassured us that for Boots own brands the two reported examples, Boots disposable razors and Botanics eye roll on, are indeed exceptional cases which do not completely meet our principles and we are taking action to correct these prices.

"Following the review of Boots own brand ranges, we are speaking to our suppliers to ask them to conduct similar reviews of their brands, however we cannot comment further on their pricing - that would be a matter for the brands themselves."

Last month The Times newspaper released findings that the cost of clothes, beauty products and toys for females are routinely higher than equivalent items pitched at males.

Across all products with different prices, those aimed at women were 37% higher on average, the newspaper said.

Maria Miller, chairwoman of the Women and Equalities Committee, said retailers could be called to Parliament to face questioning over the disparities.

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