The study explores the influence of gender-based consumption inequalities, which are shaped not only by pricing practices but also by how these inequalities are perceived in daily life and discussed in the public sphere. In this sense, the concept of the pink tax is regarded as a phenomenon that exhibits economic, social, and cultural dimensions. This study examines how the pink tax phenomenon, defined as a gender-based consumption inequality, is addressed on Instagram and the themes discussed by users around it. The extant literature on the so-called 'pink tax' predominantly focuses on price comparisons, economic data sets, and conceptual analyses. The present research endeavour seeks to furnish a complementary perspective by addressing the topic in the context of digital communication and social media. The study analysed Turkish posts shared under the hashtags #pembevergi and #pinktax, along with user comments on these posts, using content analysis methods. A total of 39 Instagram posts and 121 user comments on these posts were analysed as part of the research. The research found that social media posts related to the pink tax predominantly circulated within an awareness-based framework and that the #pembevergi hashtag had a dominant usage area in the local context. It was determined that the posts in question highlighted the definition of the pink tax, emphasised gender inequality, and featured narratives based on individual experiences. A substantial proportion of user comments were found to be supportive, while opposing and controversial approaches also persisted in the digital environment. It was observed that comments related to activism functioned as a space that not only facilitated the sharing of opinions on social media but also paved the way for offline actions and event calls. The present study is distinctive insofar as it examines the phenomenon of the 'pink tax' in a manner that extends beyond the confines of economic price differences. It analyses the phenomenon within the context of digital communication via Instagram posts and user interactions. In this respect, the research provides a social media-based perspective on the literature on the pink tax, offering a qualitative contribution that addresses the relationship between gender, consumption, and the digital public sphere within the context of communication studies.
Keywords: Pink tax, gender, digital communication, social media