Man tax

[L.A.]

No, one is a scientific observation, the other isn't and is changeable. The 'law' of supply and demand is based on perfectly informed, perfectly rational consumers - do these exist?

You might make that criticism of a great many biological laws but that doesn't stop them from being useful - and I notice that you have chosen not to comment on the main points I made in my earlier posting.

[Nearly Sane]

You might make that criticism of a great many biological laws but that doesn't stop them from being useful - and I notice that you have chosen not to comment on the main points I made in my earlier posting.

because at base you have made a huge category mistake comparing a physical law and one based on an unjustifiable assumption. The egregiousness of the error undermines any if the other points.

[L.A.]

because at base you have made a huge category mistake comparing a physical law and one based on an unjustifiable assumption. The egregiousness of the error undermines any if the other points.

No, I was simply pointing out that like gravity, the law of supply and demand does not have a moral dimension - it just operates and is a very good model of reality. However if you are going to split hairs (as you obviously are) - how good are Newtons laws at predicting the motion of a proton in the LHC?

[Nearly Sane]

No, I was simply pointing out that like gravity, the law of supply and demand does not have a moral dimension - it just operates and is a very good model of reality. However if you are going to split hairs (as you obviously are) - how good are Newtons laws at predicting the motion of a proton in the LHC?

actually you have essentially been claiming that the market is 'right' in precisely a moral fashion since your position is somehow that the shop was wrong.

[Harrowby Hall]

Of course, what we don't know (says he, getting back to the OP) is whether there is any equivalent in the statutes of New York City, New York state or the United States of America federal law to the Equality Act 2010 of the UK.

If there is, then the behaviour of the pharmacy is unlawful.

[ProfessorDavey]

I must admit to being a bit confused by this.

Sure there are pharmacy products that are gender specific - tampons being the obvious example.

But in most cases isn't this mere marketing, targeting a particular type of shampoo at women (or men) when it would work just as well for male or female hair. If women are susceptible to marketing hype and are prepared to pay over the odds for a product marketed at them, but in no way actually gender specific (see above) then surely more fool them.

[Nearly Sane]

I think the shop is effectively just drawing attention to the fact which may not be known. Further the article makes clear that this is an issue with other products such as clothes, in which case comparative shopping may not be easily done. We are back at the issue with the market, in that consumers are not perfectly informed.

[ProfessorDavey]

I think the shop is effectively just drawing attention to the fact which may not be known. Further the article makes clear that this is an issue with other products such as clothes, in which case comparative shopping may not be easily done. We are back at the issue with the market, in that consumers are not perfectly informed.

I'm not sure what issue the shop is trying to draw our attention to.

Is it that marketing is used to make a product more attractive and therefore able to command a higher price that its core value. Well, sure, but that isn't going to change any time soon. And it applies to all sorts of products and I don't see that there is targeting purely at one gender if you look at things in the round.

So it may be that companies are able to command a premium price for pharmacy products and clothes marketed at women because men would simply go 'I'm not paying that, are you mad'. But the reverse is true in other areas - particularly technology where I'm sure many women are bemused at the desire of men to folk out stupid money for the latest marketing gizmo.

[Nearly Sane]

Surely the issue is about equivalent products, I don't see how that fits in with gadgets.

[ippy]

Isn't the aim of marketing to do whatever works no matter how obscure it may seem?

Another thing about marketing isn't it at the spearhead of keeping people employed?

ippy

[ProfessorDavey]

Surely the issue is about equivalent products, I don't see how that fits in with gadgets.

But as I pointed out previously there are very few actually gender specific products, although there are many that are specifically marketed at men or women.

So I can buy shampoo - all shampoo will wash hair, but some are marketed specifically at one gender or the other. I think manufacturers probably think that they can attract a premium price for a product marketed at women on the basis that they are prepared to pay more, while most blokes aren't interested in the marketing and just want something that washes their hair (I understand the marketing drive toward men is changing, but this is for the sake of argument).

But the reverse is true with other products. So, for example TVs - I have little doubt that much of the 3-D 4K definition, curved screen, with super motion control, automatic contrast adjustment etc etc marketing is largely aimed at men who love the notion of having the latest gizmo with all the latest features (most of which they will probably never use) - so men are likely to be susceptible to the marketing gimmicks and pay a premium when many women would be content with a product that simply works (just as in shampoo the other way around).

[ippy]

When you shut and then lock the doors of your car and then hear the low whir of the motors winding in the door mirrors folding themselves back out of harms way, ecstasy, you haven't lived if you haven't had an experience of this kind, an experience no woman would ever be able to understand.

ippy

[Humph Warden Bennett]

Sure there are pharmacy products that are gender specific - tampons being the obvious example.

FTR Sanitary Towels do have broader medicinal uses, they are used to aid in the healing of particularly deep, or awkward wounds. I was encouraged to use them as a young man following the removal of a pilonidal cyst.