Opinion: The swimwear industry struggles with pink tax, high prices and poor quality
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Summer is just around the corner, which means swimsuit season is here. Like the pop culture slogan: ‘suns out, buns out.’ But with the warm weather comes the expensive swipe of our credit cards.
Maybe you want to show off that summer body and invest in a new bikini. You could have a tropical vacation planned. Or, you simply saw a cool suit online and wanted to splurge. Unless you plan to drop a good amount of cash, it’s unrealistic.
The swimwear industry has taken a hit in recent years due to inflation. Despite the scant fabric, swimwear prices have skyrocketed and transitioned into luxury items. Some buyers are faced with swimsuits that cost up to $200.
“I truly do not know how many more times I can handle clicking on a cute swimsuit ad and it’s like $100 for the top and $100 for the bottom,” TikTok user @allyrooker said. “Why does my algorithm think I would spend $200 on a bikini? Forget avocado toast, I will never own a home because of bikiniflation.”
Swimwear brands are becoming more competitive and drastically up-charging their products. The pink tax is an undeniable factor in the matter.
A pink tax is when a company sells a feminine product at a higher price than the masculine version. The additional revenue goes solely to the company — not the government. This doesn’t refer to products that mostly women use, such as tampons.
The pink tax is a repetitive element, tying it back to bikinis and swim trunks. In 2021, the average bikini retail price ranged from $40 to $120, compared to men’s swim trunks which cost between $20 and $90.
The worst part is that bikini bottoms and tops are usually sold separately. That’s right. You must spend $40 on a pair of cheeky bottoms plus another $40 for a triangular bra. What am I supposed to do with just a pair of cheetah print bottoms? I’m forced to buy the top.
In comparison, men pay a lower price for a lot more fabric in the equation. Because, in some way, swim trunks are deemed cheaper than a bikini set.
Aside from the pink tax, inflation is causing buyers to turn to Shein. If you haven’t heard of fast-fashion Shein, let me sum it up in two words: child labor.
Shein’s labor practices and carbon footprint have been investigated for years. People worldwide acknowledge the catastrophic reality of the company. Yet due to the low prices, consumers keep coming back.
An online shopper can find a cute bikini set for around $8 on the Shein website. Is the quality awful? Yes. But women on a budget end up caving to the low prices.
Then just don’t buy from these companies, one may say. Unfortunately, these are the two main options in the swimsuit market. It’s either eco-friendly and pocket-draining, or cheap and unethical.
All in all, the bikini industry has evolved into a money-losing situation. Consumers are willing to pay high prices for better quality. And the lower class is left with cheap swimsuits that’ll break in a few months.
Rather than excusing the pink tax and fabric differences, bikini sellers must take accountability for the absurd prices and level out the cost of swimwear.