A MEASURE prohibiting gender-based price discrimination in consumer goods and services, when items targeted toward women are more expensive than identical products for men, has been filed in the Senate.
In a statement on Wednesday, Senator Lorna Regina B. Legarda announced that she has officially filed Senate Bill (SB) No. 2483 or the Anti-Pink Tax Act, a landmark consumer protection measure against unfair gender-pricing to lessen financial burdens on predominantly female buyers.
Ms. Legarda said “pink tax” is a pricing disparity where female consumers pay more for daily necessities without legitimate reason, she added.
SB No. 2483, dated Sept. 21, mandates a comprehensive regulatory framework to combat pink tax.
The measure makes it unlawful to impose different price differences on similar consumer goods or services based solely on the target gender, she said. Businesses must justify pricing differences using gender-neutral factors.
Ms. Legarda said the Department of Trade and Industry will also be able to issue compliance orders and administrative fines ranging from P50,000 to P1 million against noncompliant businesses. — Francessca S. Abalos