Schick Class Action Alleges Pink Tax on Razors

A recent class action claims that Schick razors are unfairly priced with a “pink tax,” causing women to pay more for their products than men.

Plaintiff Carla Been claims that Schick razors for women are priced higher than those sold to men, representing insidious gender discrimination in the form of the “pink tax.”

“Pink Tax” refers to the widespread practice of charging more for women’s products despite being essentially the exact same product that men purchase.

“This practice has been around for decades and has cost women thousands of dollars. In 1994, California estimated that women were charged an extra $1,351 per year due to the pink tax on their products. In the over 20 years since then, these costs have reportedly increased.”

“This gender-based price discrimination is indisputably harmful to women, adding another layer to the wage inequality that women face, ultimately making it harder for women to make ends meet,” the Schick class action lawsuit claims.

States such as New York and California and counties such as Miami-Dade County, Florida have outlawed the pink tax after finding that the additional cost is inherently discriminatory.

In April 2019, lawmakers brought the “Pink Tax Repeal Act” to Congress. The bipartisan bill’s sponsor said that “[t]he pink tax is not a one-time injustice. It’s an insidious form of institutionalized discrimination that affects women across the country from the cradle to the grave.”

Been claims that Schick unlawfully uses the pink tax to charge women more than men for their razors.

Schick reportedly sells their Quattro for Women Razor and accompanying disposal razor heads in “regular” and “sensitive” varieties. The razors include four blades and a “conditioning strip formulated with aloe and vitamin E.” Schick reportedly sells the Razor refills for $12.99 for a four pack – meaning that the company sells each product for $3.25.

Schick also sells a male-directed Quattro Titanium razor. Like the Quattro for Women, the Quattro Titanium is sold with disposal razor heads. Although these refills also include four blades and an “aloe and vitamin E” lubricating strip, the refills are reportedly sold for $11.49 for a four pack or $2.87 per refill.

The Schick class action lawsuit claims that the razor company blatantly charges women more for the exact same product simply because the Quattro for Women refills are sold to women.

Been argues that by charging women more for their products, Schick violates the Missouri Merchandising Practices Act that prohibits “unfair practices” in merchandising.

The plaintiff says she brings her Schick class action claims to “not only to protect and to compensate all Missouri women victimized by Defendants in this manner, but also to punish and make an example of Defendants for their long-standing, insidious and predatory gender discrimination.”

Been seeks to represent a Class of consumers who, within the last five years, purchased Schick’s Quattro for Women Disposable Razor Refill Blades in the “sensitive” or “regular” varieties in the state of Missouri.

The Schick class action lawsuit seeks compensatory damages, punitive damages, restitution, court costs, and attorneys’ fees.

Been and the proposed Class are represented by Daniel F. Harvath of Harvanth Law Group LLC.

The Schick Razor Class Action Lawsuit is Been v. Edgewell Personal Care Company, et al., Case No. 19SL-CC02819, in the Circuit Court of St. Louis County for the State of Missouri.

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