Research on the Causes of “Pink Tax” from the Perspective of Brand Design: A Case Study of L'Oréal Paris

DOI: https://doi.org/10.62517/jbm.202509404

Author(s)

Lingwei Bao, Chuang Li*

Affiliation(s)

School of Art and Communication, China Jiliang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China *Corresponding Author

Abstract

The “pink tax” refers to the phenomenon in which female consumers are required to pay higher prices than male consumers when purchasing certain goods or services. This form of gender-based pricing discrimination not only intensifies gender divisions within the consumer sphere but also substantially infringes upon the legitimate rights and interests of female consumers, reflecting the significant gap that still exists in achieving gender equality in today’s market. Although some studies have examined the causes and manifestations of the pink tax from economic and sociological perspectives, research on the role of brand design in this process remains relatively scarce. To address this gap, the present study adopts a brand design perspective to investigate how branding practices—such as product image construction and communication strategy formulation—subtly reinforce gendered pricing mechanisms and contribute to the emergence and entrenchment of the pink tax. Using L’Oréal Paris, a representative mass-market brand, as the primary case study, this research conducts a systematic analysis across three dimensions: brand strategy planning, brand identity system, and brand marketing strategy. The findings reveal that brand design promotes the pink tax through three key pathways: gender opposition and product line extension, symbolic design and visual smoke screens, and narrative induction alongside diversified marketing strategies. This paper further uncovers the underlying connection between brand design logic and gender-based pricing, offering a novel academic perspective for understanding pricing inequality in consumer markets, while also providing theoretical guidance and practical insights for fostering more inclusive and equitable branding strategies.

Keywords

Pink Tax; Brand Design; L’Oréal Paris; Female Consumers

References

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