The haircut scandal: why do women pay so much more than men?
Name: Haircuts.
Age: Not important; maybe ask about price instead.
OK, how much? That depends. On what? It depends on whether you’re a woman or a man.
So this is about the difference in price for a haircut according to gender? Correct.
And let me guess – women pay more? Yup.
How much more? Two and a half times as much, on average, in the UK. A YouGov poll – from 2020, so you’ll need to add a fair bit for inflation – found most men (40%) paid between £10 and £14.99 for a haircut, while 29% paid between £5 and £9.99. That’s an average of £12.17.
And women? The most common range is £20 to £24.99, but that accounts for only 13%. The average is £31.
Hardly a snip. Why is that? Well, the National Hair & Beauty Federation has pointed out that woman often have more complicated haircuts than men, who tend to have shorter hair that can be done quite quickly.
Hmm, is that reasonable … or is it dated and – frankly – sexist? I mean, women often have short hair too, right? I’m thinking a bob … Short indeed, but technically more challenging and timeconsuming than “No 3 on the sides and back, a bit choppy on the top”.
Maybe haircuts should be charged according to time taken, rather than gender? Which takes us, neatly and joyously, to Belgium.
Finally! Brilliant! What’s happening in Belgium? Exactly that. The country’s hairdressing federation, Febelhair, is advising its members to charge €1.30 (£1.10) a minute, regardless of the customer’s gender. “A distinction between prices for men and women should no longer persist in 2024,” said a Febelhair spokesperson, Charles-Antoine Huybrechts, on Belgian radio.
And how’s that going? Mixed results. Charlotte Jacob, the owner of the Brussels salon De Wakko Kapper, is a fan: “We need 40 minutes for people who want a completely new cut. But whether you’re a man or a woman, you pay the same.”
Not everyone’s so keen, though? The Times found an objector. “The idea is completely ridiculous,” an apparently well-known barber said. “There are so many more styles and requirements for women’s hair, and that’s before we talk about the costs of women’s products.”
How well known? What is this barber’s name? He didn’t want it published, for fear of repercussions.
Short back’n’lash? Boom boom. Do say: “Actually, while we’re on the subject, let’s take a look at all the other products women are inexplicably charged more for.”
Don’t say: “How do you say ‘skin fade’ in Flemish?”
• Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here.