The Federation of Belgian Hairdressers is advocating an end to gender-based pricing differentials in hair salons.
Currently, women pay significantly more than men for a haircut, irrespective of the amount of work required. While some establishments have already adopted gender-neutral pricing, this remains an exception to the norm.
Charles-Antoine Huybrechts, spokesperson for the Belgian hairdressing federation Febelhair, supports the concept of gender-neutral pricing. "You can determine this on the basis of the time a hairdresser needs for the customer," he told VRT. However, the federation cannot mandate its members to adopt such pricing policies due to legal restrictions. Instead, they provide guidance on establishing rates.
"We advise them, for example, to charge €1.30 per minute to ensure profitability. However, a distinction between prices for men and women should no longer persist in 2024," the federation emphasised during an interview on Radio 2.
Gender-neutral pricing challenges the prevailing practice where women's haircuts often incur higher costs, regardless of the complexity or duration of the service. Some salons have already embraced this change, charging men, women and non-binary individuals the same amount for similar haircuts.
Many hairdressers have expressed their support, saying that they find it unfair that women always pay more than men. They are calling for the pricing structure to be based on the work required, with different time blocks for varying hairstyles. Regardless of gender, clients with similar services should pay identical amounts, they say.
While the Federation of Belgian Hairdressers cannot enforce gender-neutral pricing, its advocacy signals a growing awareness and push for fair and equal treatment in the hairdressing industry.
